Kepulauan Mentawai Regency is part of Sumatra Island, consisting of four main islands. This archipelago lies off the coast of Sumatra and was established based on Indonesian Law No. 49 of 1999 as a result of the division of Padang Pariaman Regency. The four inhabited main islands are Siberut Island, Sipora Island, Pagai Utara Island, and Pagai Selatan Island. As of mid-2024, the population of Kepulauan Mentawai Regency is recorded at 96,570 people. The Mentawai community comprises indigenous people and transmigrants. The dominant ethnic groups in the regency are the Mentawai, Sukeddei, and Minangkabau ethnic groups. The locals refer to their homeland as Bumi Seikerei. “Seikerei” is derived from the Mentawai language, meaning “pure” or “sacred.” This term reflects the life of the Mentawai people, who continue to preserve their original traditions and culture.
Over the past few years, the people of Kepulauan Mentawai Regency have been increasingly exposed to the issues of Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) through training and assistance provided by various NGOs. Therefore, there is now a need for policy integration between the district and village governments, with more intensive involvement from the provincial government, to ensure the sustainability of inclusive DRR and CCA initiatives through the GREAT (Gender Responsive and Inclusive Regional Adaptation for Disaster and Climate Change Adaptation) programme. This project is implemented by Jemari Sekato, with the support of Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund and funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The involvement of the government in the GREAT programme is crucial as a means to integrate village, district, and provincial planning with the programme’s activities. So far, Kepulauan Mentawai Regency remains underdeveloped compared to other regencies in West Sumatra. This is due to the challenging accessibility between the mainland and the Mentawai archipelago. Travelling to Kepulauan Mentawai requires either a sea vessel or an airplane, with limited departure schedules for both modes of transport. Additionally, unpredictable weather conditions often affect transportation schedules, requiring adjustments to activity plans. This situation poses a challenge in engaging stakeholders from outside Kepulauan Mentawai in programme implementation.
To address these challenges, JEMARI Sakato initiated the programme by establishing close coordination with the West Sumatra Provincial Government and the Kepulauan Mentawai Regency Government. At the beginning of the programme, the JEMARI Sakato team conducted an initial socialisation meeting with relevant provincial-level agencies, facilitated by the Disaster Management Office of West Sumatra (BPBD) in Padang. This activity resulted in the provincial government’s commitment to supporting the GREAT programme. At the district level, the team also coordinated with the district government up to the level of the Regional Secretary (SEKDA). This coordination is an initial step in communicating the planning for the establishment of a Task Force (POKJA), which will later serve as a platform for multiple issues in implementing the program.
The GREAT programme socialisation was held on November 21, 2024, facilitated by the Kepulauan Mentawai Regency Government, which assisted in preparing participant invitation letters, organiszing the event venue, and ensuring the presence of the regional leader, the Acting Regent of Kepulauan Mentawai. The socialisation event took place at the Regional Development Agency’s (BAPPEDA) hall of Kepulauan Mentawai.
The event was opened by the Acting Regent of Kepulauan Mentawai Regency, Fernando Jongguran Simanjuntak, S.St. Pi., M.Pi., and attended by several relevant organisations, including the Department of Community and Village Empowerment of West Sumatra (DPMD); Agriculture Department of West Sumatra; and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPD), represented by PPDI (Indonesian Association of Persons with Disabilities), HWDI (Indonesian Association of Women with Disabilities), and Gerkatin (Movement for the Welfare of the Deaf in Indonesia), along with other relevant government departments within the Kepulauan Mentawai administration.
In his remarks, the Acting Regent of Kepulauan Mentawai stated, “This programme is highly relevant for Kepulauan Mentawai because the people must understand the significant disaster risks in this region. If the community is not vigilant, Mentawai’s civilization and development could be wiped out at once. This programme reflects the integrity between the local government, NGOs, and the community, making it a shared responsibility in inclusive DRR and CCA.”
On this occasion, the Acting Regent also emphasized the importance of establishing an inclusive DRR and CCA POKJA as a platform for discussing related issues. As a demonstration of the local government’s commitment to the GREAT programme, the Acting Regent signed a joint commitment to support the initiative, followed by all participants attending the socialisation event. Meanwhile, the West Sumatra Provincial Government, through the West Sumatra DPMD, represented by Firmanto, also expressed support for the implementation of the GREAT programme. He stated, “This programme is excellent and requires support from all levels of government, including the provincial, district, and village levels. DPMD can help facilitate guidance that can be directed to support this programme.”
Until the end of the socialisation event, participants remained highly enthusiastic in listening to the presentations, and the discussions were dynamic and engaging. In addition to the relevant stakeholders, six heads of district departments from Kepulauan Mentawai attended the GREAT programme socialisation. The full support from the Kepulauan Mentawai District Government and the direct participation of the West Sumatra Provincial Government serve as strong evidence of best practices in implementing the GREAT programme through multi-stakeholder advocacy.
