Bandung, West Java – The community of Padamukti Village, residing near the Citarum River Basin, is now encouraged to manage waste independently. This initiative is part of the Indonesia-Australia Citarum Action Research Program (CARP), which began in 2019. The project is expected to be replicated in other watersheds in Indonesia.
During a discussion titled “Towards Evidence Informed Policy and Practice in River Revitalisation: A Citarum Living Lab Showcase” at the Citarum Task Force office in Bandung (13/11), Diego Ramirez-Lovering, one of the lead researchers from Monash University, stated, “By uniting the academic sector, community, government, and industry in a collaborative science-to-action cycle, this partnership-driven approach has successfully transformed research into real action.”
Representatives from the Australian Embassy, Ria Arief, Unit Manager of Knowledge to Partnership Unit, and Gerard Cheong, First Secretary of Infrastructure, also attended the discussion to express their appreciation for the successful Australia-Indonesia partnership in this project.
In 2023, KONEKSI provided support to this research to empower communities in operating a circular economy-based waste management facility known as Tempat Pengelolaan Sampah Reuse-Reduce-Recycle (TPS3R). The support provided includes operator training, community campaigns (reaching approximately 400 families) on waste issues and the need for behavioral change in waste management, and capacity building for communities to utilise waste recycling and develop strategies for finding markets.
The CARP project also implements a collaborative and inclusive community-based approach by establishing “living labs”—village-based pilots to educate, train, and build capacity in sustainable waste management practices. “The living lab model empowers communities and brings together science, technology, and local knowledge for effective long-term solutions,” said Dr. Reni Suwarso from the University of Indonesia, one of the research investigators.
The findings of the CARP research are currently being developed into policy recommendations to be included in the Citarum Master Plan. The Master Plan is currently being advocated for adoption into the local government’s medium-term plan (RPJMD). A discussion will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2024, with confirmed attendance from the Citarum Harum Juara Task Force, Director of Bappenas Water Resources, and Head of the Department of Housing and Settlement of West Java Province.
This collaborative research is part of a larger effort to transition to a circular economy to reduce pollution and, importantly, improve the lives of vulnerable communities who depend on the river system for water and livelihoods.
