A Participatory Approach to Enhance Multistakeholders’ Participation in the Saba River Basin

Abstract

Integrated water resources management (IWRM) for the Saba River Basin began as a pilot project undertaken by the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), Japan and Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Indonesia (2012–2016). A participatory approach through multistages of multistakeholders’ meetings has enhanced participation in implementing the IWRM concept. The research project has successfully improved the multistakeholders’ capacity with regard to IWRM; their participation in strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat (SWOT); and identification of key development issues within the Saba River Basin. They have also improved the decision-making processes through every stage as identified by the accomplishment of some important common agreements, such as the need for a forum for IWRM entitled the Saba River Basin Community (the “Community”), as well as its vision, role, function, organization structure, basic rules, priority programs from 2015 to 2020, and action plans in 2015/2016. However, the Committee must now transition into a concrete activity and push for action through a process of trial and error that will build the future. Obviously, the Community will be more effective in fulfilling its roles if it has appropriate financial and legal support.