From 5-7 March 2024, the CRIC Project convened a thematic Panel of Experts on Urban Resilience and Early Warning Systems held in Makassar City, Indonesia. Representatives from 10 CRIC pilot cities, host city Makassar and cities from the Urban-Act Project (Medan, North Minahasa, and Padang) attended the panel. The activities culminated in a field visit on 7th March 2024, with over 50 attendees exploring Makassar’s implementation of the “Resilient City” concept, particularly in Lorong Wisata or Tourism Alley and the Nipa-Nipa water retention area.
Upon arrival at the Lorong Wisata, we were warmly received by a delegation led by Ismawaty Nur (Acting Head of Communications and Information) as well as Alamsyah Sahabudiin (Acting Head of Food Security). The Head of Tamalanrea Subdistrict, Iqbal, as well as Mirawati, Head of Tamalanrea Village, were also part of the welcoming team, followed by local officials, representatives of the Tourism Alley council, microentrepreneurs (MSMEs) and residents.
Lorong Wisata: A Model for Urban Resilience
Ismawaty presented the Lorong Wisata as an initiative that showcases best practices in building urban resilience. Overall, the initiative envisions transforming every alleyway in the city into a vibrant, safe and sustainable space.
On this visit, we saw firsthand the good practices or success of public-private partnerships in fostering a resilient city. Notably, the Lorong Wisata also exemplifies the active and crucial role of society or community participation in creating a climate-resilient environment.
Women as Agents of Change
Next, we saw how the Lorong Wisata embraces the principles of gender equality, where the roles of women and men are divided fairly and conceptualised in an inclusive and participative manner. This visit, coinciding with International Women’s Day, we feel that the involvement of all parties, including women, is crucial in developing and planning resilient cities. Mrs. Umi, a Lorong Council member, shared with us how activities are divided fairly, with both men and women actively involved in environmental and community programmes such as these, even keeping activities running during holidays.
Collaboration for a Thriving Community
Residents are also actively participating in various initiatives, fostering a strong community spirit. These include traditional cooperative efforts (gotong royong), maintaining communal shelters, supporting the local economy through micro-businesses (MSMEs), and promoting environmental responsibility by managing household waste and actively contributing as members of the waste bank.
Furthermore, we also saw the valuable and contributive role of collaboration between local government institutions in the implementation of the Lorong Wisata. For example, the Food Security Service assisted with the provision of vegetable and fruit plants, promoting urban farming and food security in Makassar as they also educated farmers. The Communication and Information Service ensured safety and security in the alley through CCTV, while the Environmental Service educated residents and advocated waste management and recycling. This was through the provision of container facilities in every house to accommodate used cooking oil and the establishment of a waste bank for households.
Additionally, the Department of Cooperatives and MSMEs empowered residents by providing training in household product development and marketing (product design training), fostering local businesses such as passion fruit juice, spinach chips and various Makassar city souvenirs. Therefore, the Lorong Wisata exemplifies how multi-stakeholder collaboration can empower communities, even at the alleyway level.
Contributor: Kesuma Yanti, CRIC Field Officer for the Kalimantan Region