Women of Petungkriyono: Heroes Behind Economic, Environmental Sustainability, and Climate Resilience

In the lush green mountains of Petungkriyono, there are resilient women who not only sustain their own livelihoods but also ensure the sustainability of their village’s environment and economy. These women are at the forefront of natural resource management, using traditional knowledge passed down through generations. However, amidst their hard work, the challenges of climate change are becoming more apparent, affecting their daily lives and productivity.

One inspiring figure is Ibu Dasri, an expert in processing sap from the Arenga palm. At the age of 65, she continues to produce palm sugar, ginger sugar, and ant sugar—products essential to her family’s income. However, climate change has begun to affect sap production cycles, with erratic rainfall and extreme temperatures disrupting the collection of sap from the Arenga trees. With her local knowledge, Ibu Dasri constantly seeks adaptive methods to maintain the quality of her products. This is not just about income; it’s about maintaining the economic stability of the village in the face of climate change.

Similarly, Ibu Suri (45 years old) plays a crucial role in cultivating black rice. She manages her land despite the looming threat of changing weather patterns, which could affect the productivity of her crops. Unpredictable rainfall and prolonged dry seasons have forced her to adjust her farming techniques, including planting schedules and more efficient use of water resources. Each planting season, Ibu Suri serves as both a guardian of tradition and a driver of economic and food resilience in the village, taking innovative steps to cope with increasingly unpredictable climate changes.

On the other hand, women like Ibu Marsiti (43 years old) also feel the impact of climate change in their daily activities. As a maker of bamboo stakes, she has witnessed how excessive rainfall and soil erosion can damage the bamboo plantations she relies on for raw materials. Yet, with her adaptive and innovative skills, she continues to produce stakes that not only support her family’s income but also help strengthen local crops, ensuring agricultural sustainability amidst environmental changes.

Similarly, Ibu Kayem (64 years old) remains actively involved in managing clove cultivation, even at an age when many would retire. Cloves, a high-value commodity, are highly sensitive to weather changes. Extreme weather threatens their growth cycles, but women like Ibu Kayem remain committed to ensuring the quality of their harvests.

Gender Perspective in Facing Climate Change

Women are often the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, as they directly depend on natural resources for their livelihoods. However, in Petungkriyono, women are not just victims of climate change but also agents of change. They use local knowledge and traditional skills to innovate in the face of the climate crisis. The women of Petungkriyono are not only economic drivers but also play a vital role in mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change. As primary managers of households and farms, they directly experience the shifts in weather and their impact on livelihoods. Their courage and resilience in adopting more adaptive and environmentally friendly practices show that they are key to building climate resilience at the community level.

Unfortunately, in many contexts, women’s roles are often overlooked in decision-making processes related to climate adaptation and natural resource management. Not only must they adapt to changing weather conditions, but they also face gender inequalities that can hinder their access to the information, technology, and resources needed to tackle these challenges. Therefore, it is crucial that sustainable development policies in Petungkriyono and surrounding areas give greater attention to gender perspectives, ensuring that women have an equal voice in decisions related to climate adaptation and environmental management.

Through these various roles, the women of Petungkriyono prove that economic sustainability and climate resilience go hand in hand. With the local wisdom they possess and their capacity to innovate, the women in this village are the main pillars in maintaining environmental and economic sustainability for future generations. However, greater support for women’s rights, access, and participation in local development is essential to strengthening their efforts in facing the increasingly challenging climate change.

Contributor:

Shella