Skip to main content
Article | Industrial and Domestic Waste Management | Volume 6 - Issue 1 - 2026 | 84−104 | https://doi.org/10.53623/idwm.v6i1.1045
© 2026 by the author(s), and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License

Wastewater Management Strategies for Reducing Drought Vulnerability and Enhancing Women’s Local Wisdom: A Case Study of Kebonharjo Village, Indonesia

Author(s): Yuniarta Vuspita , RR. Susilastuti Dwi Nugrahajati , Arif Rianto Budi Nugroho , Yohana Noradika Maharani , Johan Danu Prasetya , Ficky Adi Kurniawan
Author(s) information:
Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Corresponding author

Industrial and Domestic Waste Management

Volume 6 - Issue 1 - 2026

 About the journal
Submit your article

Prolonged drought has become a recurrent hydrometeorological disaster that significantly affects rural communities in Indonesia, particularly in areas with limited water infrastructure. In 2023, the Special Region of Yogyakarta experienced widespread drought, with severe impacts in Kulon Progo Regency, especially in Samigaluh Subdistrict. Kebonharjo Village, located in the Menoreh Hills, has faced persistent clean water shortages due to climate variability, environmental degradation, and increasing water demand. These conditions have intensified social vulnerability, especially among women, who are primarily responsible for household water management and water-dependent livelihood activities. This study aims to examine women’s multidimensional vulnerability to drought, analyze wastewater management as a form of local wisdom-based adaptation, and identify policy implications for gender-responsive disaster risk reduction. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, participatory observation, and document analysis from January to March 2025. Data were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles and Huberman. The findings reveal that women experience physical vulnerability due to long distances to water sources, economic vulnerability resulting from declining agricultural income and increasing household expenditures, and structural vulnerability linked to limited participation in village-level decision-making. At the same time, women demonstrate strong adaptive capacity through wastewater reuse, rotational water collection, and ecological knowledge of seasonal indicators. The novelty of this study lies in positioning wastewater management as a gendered adaptation strategy rooted in women’s local wisdom rather than merely a domestic coping practice. The study concludes that integrating women’s local knowledge into village-level drought governance and strengthening their participation in decision-making are essential for building community resilience and advancing gender-equitable disaster risk reduction.

Read Full-Text
Previous article
Next article

BPBD DIY. (2023). Drought Report of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in 2023; Regional Disaster Management Agency of the Special Region of Yogyakarta: Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Mamani, L.; Andreoli, R.V.; de Souza, I.P.; Cevalho, W.; Sales, D.; Kayano, M.T.; de Souza, R.A.F.; Molina-Carpio, J.; Ceron, W.L.; Macedo, T. (2025). Extreme droughts in the Amazon Basin during cyclic ENSO events coupled with Indian Ocean Dipole modes and Tropical North Atlantic warming. Science of the Total Environment, 963, 178536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178536.

Singh, D.; Seager, R.; Cook, B.I.; Cane, M.; Ting, M.; Cook, E.; Davis, M. (2018). Climate and the global famine of 1876–78. Journal of Climate, 31, 963–981. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0159.1.

Adger, W.N. (2006). Vulnerability. Global Environmental Change, 16, 268–281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2006.02.006.

BPS Samigaluh. (2022). Samigaluh Subdistrict in Figures 2022; Statistics Indonesia: Kulon Progo, Indonesia.

Miyan, M.A. (2015). Droughts in Asian least developed countries: Vulnerability and sustainability. Weather and Climate Extremes, 7, 8–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wace.2014.06.003.

Sugg, M.; Runkle, J.; Leeper, R.; Bagli, H.; Golden, A.; Handwerger, L.H.; Magee, T.; Moreno, C.; Reed-Kelly, R.; Taylor, M.; Woolard, S. (2020). A scoping review of drought impacts on health and society in North America. Climatic Change, 162, 1177–1195. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-020-02848-6.

Algur, K.D.; Patel, S.K.; Chauhan, S. (2021). The impact of drought on the health and livelihoods of women and children in India: A systematic review. Children and Youth Services Review, 122, 105909. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105909.

Berndt, V.K.; Austin, K.F. (2021). Drought and disproportionate disease: An investigation of gendered vulnerabilities to HIV/AIDS in less-developed nations. Population and Environment, 42, 379–405. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11111-020-00367-1.

Andriano, L.; Behrman, J. (2020). The effects of growing-season drought on young women’s life course transitions in a sub-Saharan context. Population Studies, 74, 331–350. https://doi.org/10.1080/00324728.2020.1819551.

Anbacha, A.E.; Kjosavik, D.J. (2019). The dynamics of gender relations under recurrent drought conditions: A study of Borana pastoralists in southern Ethiopia. Human Ecology, 47, 435–447. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-019-00082-y.

Lupembe, A.M.; Teresia, J.N.W. (2021). Drought management by formal and informal organizations of Kajiado County, Kenya: Special reference to role of women. East African Journal of Environment and Natural Resources, 3, 1. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajenr.3.1.386.

Singh, S.; Dixit, S. (2020). Diverse role of women for natural resource management in India. Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 38, 27–32. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajaees/2020/v38i330320.

Hidayah, T.N. (2024). Analysis of impacts and the role of women in climate change disasters in Indonesia. Arus Jurnal Sosial dan Humaniora, 4, 12. Available online: https://jurnal.ardenjaya.com/index.php/ajsh/article/view/553.

Su, Y.; Bisht, S.; Wilkes, A.; Pradhan, N.S.; Zou, Y.; Liu, S.; Hyde, K. (2017). Gendered responses to drought in Yunnan Province, China. Mountain Research and Development, 37, 24–34. https://doi.org/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-15-00041.1.

Agarwal, B. (1992). The gender and environment debate: Lessons from India. Feminist Studies, 18, 119–158. https://doi.org/10.2307/3178217.

Randriamparany, S.T.; Randrianalijaona, T.M. (2022). The vulnerability of Antandroy women to droughts in Ambovombe Androy (Madagascar). International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 72, 102821. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.102821.

Walker, S.E.; Bruyere, B.L.; Solomon, J.N.; Powlen, K.A.; Yasin, A.; Lenaiyasa, E.; Lolemu, A. (2022). Pastoral coping and adaptation climate change strategies: Implications for women’s well-being. Journal of Arid Environments, 197, 104656. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2021.104656.

Twigg, J.; Bhatt, M.R. (1999). Understanding vulnerability: South Asian perspectives. Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal, 8, 370–452. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.1999.8.5.370.2.

Story, W.T.; Tura, H.; Rubin, J.; Engidawork, B.; Ahmed, A.; Jundi, F.; Iddosa, T.; Abrha, T.H. (2020). Social capital and disaster preparedness in Oromia, Ethiopia: An evaluation of the “Women Empowered” approach. Social Science & Medicine, 257, 111907. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.08.027.

Chigavazira, T.; Zandamela, H.L. (2021). Behaviour change in drought response and management: Case study of Mudzi District, Zimbabwe. Journal of Public Administration and Governance, 11, 2. https://doi.org/10.5296/jpag.v11i2.18574.

Government of Kulon Progo Regency. (2024). Regional Regulation Number 10 of 2024 concerning Gender Mainstreaming in Regional Development; Government of Kulon Progo Regency: Wates, Indonesia.

Enarson, E.; Chakrabarti, P.G.D. (2009). Women, Gender and Disaster: Global Issues and Initiatives; SAGE Publications: India.

Cannon, T. (1994). Vulnerability analysis and the explanation of “natural” disasters. In Disasters, Development and Environment; Varley, A. Ed.; John Wiley & Sons: Chichester, UK; pp. 13–30.

Rocheleau, D.E.; Thomas-Slayter, B.P.; Wangari, E. (1996). Feminist Political Ecology: Global Issues and Local Experiences; Routledge: London, UK.

Moayedi, M.; Hayati, D. (2023). Identifying strategies for adaptation of rural women to climate variability in water scarce areas. Frontiers in Water, 5, 1177684. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2023.1177684.

Thomas, J.; Wali, N.; Georgeou, N.; Molimau-Samasoni, S. (2025). Indigenous knowledge, gender and agriculture: A scoping review of gendered roles for food sustainability. Land, 14, 1210. https://doi.org/10.3390/land14061210.

Ranucci, I.; Romano, D.; Tiberti, L. (2025). Weather shocks and resilience to food insecurity: Exploring the role of gender and kinship norms. World Development, 188, 106847. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2024.106847.

Huho, J.M.; Asokan, S.M. (2024). Understanding drought adaptation mechanisms from a gender perspective in Kenya. Climate Services, 35, 100491.

Lebu, S.; Lee, A.; Salzberg, A.; Bauza, V. (2024). Adaptive strategies to enhance water security and resilience in low- and middle-income countries: A critical review. Science of the Total Environment, 925, 171520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171520.

Delavallade, C.; Gittard, M.; Vaillant, J. (2025). Women and Climate Adaptation in Rural Sub-Saharan Africa: Constraints and Research Priorities; World Bank: Washington, DC, USA.

Sugiyono. (2018). Qualitative, Quantitative, and R&D Research Methods; Alfabeta: Bandung, Indonesia.

Miles, M.B.; Huberman, A.M. (2014). Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook, 3rd ed.; SAGE Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.

Moser, C.O.N. (1998). The asset vulnerability framework: Reassessing urban poverty reduction strategies. World Development, 26, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(97)10015-8.

Read Full-Text
About this article

SUBMITTED: 10 February 2026
ACCEPTED: 06 April 2026
PUBLISHED: 8 April 2026
SUBMITTED to ACCEPTED: 56 days
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53623/idwm.v6i1.1045

Cite this article
Vuspita, Y. ., Nugrahajati, R. S. D. ., Nugroho, A. R. B. ., Maharani, Y. N. ., Prasetya, J. D. ., & Kurniawan, F. A. . (2026). Wastewater Management Strategies for Reducing Drought Vulnerability and Enhancing Women’s Local Wisdom: A Case Study of Kebonharjo Village, Indonesia. Industrial and Domestic Waste Management, 6(1), 84−104. https://doi.org/10.53623/idwm.v6i1.1045
Citations
0
Share this article