Conversion of agricultural land for wisdom-based ecotourism in subak

Bali’s Subak Uma Lambing: Transforming Traditional Water Management into Ecotourism

Introduction

By I Wayan Wesna Astara, I Made Arjaya, and Edy Hartaka

Bali is renowned as an international tourist destination, but mass tourism has exploited the natural resources of the island province without considering sustainability and has marginalized the interests of the local community.

Subak Uma Lambing: From Traditional Water Management to Ecotourism

Agricultural lands have been converted for the purposes of mass tourism, leading to resistance from the indigenous Balinese community and an initiative to transform the subak traditional water management system into an ecotourism destination.

Redesigning subak as an ecotourism investment, particularly Subak Uma Lambing in Badung regency, aims to create an ecotourism destination based on organic farming. The conversion of agricultural land for ecotourism investment is a process in which farmland is reoriented or converted into ecotourism areas. This initiative involves sustainable land use to attract tourists who wish to enjoy the nature, environment, and culture of an area.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
2. Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
3. Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
4. Goal 13: Climate Action
5. Goal 15: Life on Land

Preserving Agricultural Land in Badung Regency

According to data from the Badung Agriculture and Food Agency from 2016 to 2018, the conversion of agricultural land in Badung regency has seen a significant increase from originally only 51 hectares to 160 hectares in 2018. This has had consequences for the lives of the people in Badung who largely depend on land, whether for their livelihoods, clothing, shelter, food, or religious needs. Given this reality, the local community will always strive to preserve every inch of their land.

The Collaboration between Subak Uma Lambing and Green School

Ecotourism investment in Subak Uma Lambing is the result of a collaboration between the local kelian subak (head of subak) and the Green School. Initially, the objective was for the subak to serve as a sociocultural laboratory for Green School students.

Subak Uma Lambing Ecotourism was established in 2018 in collaboration with the Astungkara Way Foundation. Later, the foundation and the Green School developed a close relationship in developing the Uma Lambing ecotourism site. The Astungkara Way Foundation’s idea to develop Subak Uma Lambing, in collaboration with the kelian subak, was to work together with Green School and the Astungkara Way Ecotourism Management.

The Support for Organic Farming and Agri-Ecotourism

This ecotourism initiative also received the support of the Renuture Foundation for the development of organic farming, with the Astungkara Way Foundation responsible for selling the rice produced in Subak Uma Lambing, primarily to hotels and restaurants. The agreed form of ecotourism is agricultural ecotourism, or agri-ecotourism, according to the kelian subak and Astungkara Way.

Subak as a Potential Ecotourism Attraction

Subak is one of the tourist attractions in Bali and can be defined as a socioreligious irrigation and agricultural institution that is primarily involved in managing water for year-round crop production, particularly rice, based on Bali’s Tri Hita Karana philosophy (Sutawan, 2008). Subak in Bali has the potential to become an ecotourism attraction.

One of these is Subak Uma Lambing, located in Sibang Kaja village in Abiansemal district, Badung regency. This ecotourism site offers authentic, picturesque views of agricultural areas with natural farming activities. Here, tourists are invited to immerse themselves in the lives of farmers, where they can participate in harvesting rice during the harvest season and drying it in the sun for further processing the grain.

Regulations and Government Initiatives

Furthermore, more specific regulations governing the protection of agricultural land in Badung regency can be found in Badung Regency Regulation No. 26/2013 on the Badung Regency Spatial Plan 2013-2033. Article 81, paragraph (2), states that the zoning regulation for food crop cultivation areas referred to in paragraph (1)(a) includes safeguarding productive food crop cultivation areas based on subak as sustainable agricultural land.

In developing organic agriculture, the Indonesian government, through Law No. 22/2019 on sustainable agricultural cultivation systems to replace Law No. 12/1992 on plant cultivation systems, emphasizes the need to promote sustainable development in the agriculture sector. This is achieved through farming systems to attain food sovereignty while considering ecosystem support as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation to establish an advanced, efficient, resilient, and sustainable agricultural system.

Furthermore, through the Nawacita program, the government has pledged to establish 1,000 Organic Villages, consisting of 600 Organic Food Villages, 250 Organic Horticulture Villages, and 150 Organic Plantation Villages (Yuriansyah et al., 2020; Astiko et al., 2020). Indonesia is currently seeing a significant annual increase in organic food consumption of between 20 to 25 percent per year.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the transformation of Subak Uma Lambing into an ecotourism destination based on organic farming showcases the potential for sustainable development in Bali. By preserving agricultural land, promoting organic farming, and embracing ecotourism, Bali can achieve several Sustainable Development Goals, including Decent Work and Economic Growth, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action, and Life on Land.

I Wayan Wesna Astara and I Made Arjaya are lecturers of the Master of Law postgraduate program at Warmadewa University in Denpasar, Bali. Edy Hartaka is a Master of Law student at Warmadewa University.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 15: Life on Land

The article discusses the negative impacts of mass tourism on the natural resources of Bali and the marginalization of the local community. These issues are connected to SDG 8, which aims to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all. The conversion of agricultural land for ecotourism investment and the focus on organic farming align with SDG 12, which promotes responsible consumption and production. The article also mentions the need to protect agricultural land and emphasizes sustainable agricultural practices, which are relevant to SDG 15, which focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. Additionally, the article mentions specific regulations governing the protection of agricultural land in Badung regency, which is connected to SDG 11, which aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 8.9: By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.
• Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
• Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
• Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests, and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are related to promoting sustainable tourism that preserves local culture and products (Target 8.9), protecting cultural and natural heritage (Target 11.4), achieving sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources (Target 12.2), and promoting sustainable forest management (Target 15.2).

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 8.9: Number of jobs created in the tourism sector, particularly for local communities.
• Indicator for Target 11.4: Number of cultural and natural heritage sites protected and safeguarded.
• Indicator for Target 12.2: Percentage of agricultural land converted into sustainable ecotourism areas.
• Indicator for Target 15.2: Forest area coverage and changes in forest cover over time.

The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators, but based on the identified targets, indicators such as the number of jobs created in the tourism sector, the number of protected cultural and natural heritage sites, the percentage of agricultural land converted into sustainable ecotourism areas, and forest area coverage can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: thejakartapost.com

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