The Vibrancy of Eilogo Village in Facing the Modern Era and Climate Change Threats: A Story of a Small Village in Sabu Raijua, East Nusa Tenggara
Part 2: Living with Disasters
This article is the second story in the series: The Struggles of Eilogo Village to Survive in the Modern Era and the Threat of Climate Change: A Small Village Story in Sabu Raijua Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. The first story can be found here.
My thoughts about Eilogo Village are evolving. What kinds of disasters have they faced all this time? How have they survived?
In 2025, the Coastal Resilience Team from the Ocean Program of Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN) conducted a study aimed at formulating Behaviour Change guidelines related to climate adaptation. The goal was to increase the long-term resilience of coastal communities and to develop a Behaviour Change Design Plan to implement climate adaptation strategies in Eilogo Village. As an initial phase, this Social Behaviour Change (SBC) study referred to the Vulnerability Assessment (VA) report conducted by YKAN in 2023, which served as the foundation for understanding climate change, assessing vulnerability conditions, and identifying priority adaptation options.
Read: Muara Siran, Home of the Deep Peatland which Continues to Grow
According to the information gathered by YKAN, Eilogo Village has been facing a series of significant crises over the past few years. The worrying situation began with a severe local food crisis, triggered by a series of crop failures that occurred from 2021 to 2023. This was compounded by the devastating impact of Tropical Cyclone Seroja in 2021 and exacerbated by significant low rainfall during 2022 and 2023.
From 2021 to 2025, every person in the village faced greater challenges than ever before. They were unable to earn an income from seaweed, and the harvests of sorghum and peanuts were minimal. Fish populations around Eilogo Village declined, making it difficult for fishermen to make a living. Seaweed quality also deteriorated, affecting coastal communities that depended on its cultivation. As a result, people shifted to various activities to meet their needs; for example, fishermen became coconut sap tappers, and coconut tappers switched to upland farming.
One outcome from YKAN’s discussions with the community, such as with the Gadja family, was a storytelling session using pictures to describe how their livelihoods fluctuated from 2021 to 2024.
They shared that in 2021, their area was hit by a powerful storm that caused widespread damage and heavy losses, ultimately forcing them to make the tough decision not to plant any crops. Entering 2022, they attempted to plant again and were rewarded with a good yield, largely thanks to favourable weather, which meant they didn’t need to purchase seeds.
In 2023, due to a severe lack of rainfall, they had to cease planting. During this challenging period, the father had to rely on selling fish to support their family. From 2024 onwards, they attempted to resume planting towards the end of the year, utilizing seeds and fertilizer provided by the village. Regrettably, their efforts yielded disappointing results, with poor harvests of mung beans and corn, despite purchasing additional urea fertilizer in hopes of enhanced yields.
The Gadja family’s story vividly illustrates the various adaptations and strategies they have developed to manage farming and ensure their survival from 2021 to 2025. The continued lack of seeds and rainfall has not only disrupted their traditional farming practices but also significantly affected their current eating habits. This has forced them to reconsider their food sources and nutrition intake.
Furthermore, their limited knowledge of organic farming methods, combined with the environmental challenges they face and the scarcity of financial resources, has made them highly dependent on fertiliser and seeds provided by the village authorities. This creates a troubling cycle in which they continually purchase additional chemical fertilisers to sustain their farming efforts.
As they face these complexities, the Gadja family must confront the harsh reality of their situation while simultaneously striving to break free from the cycle of dependency and discover sustainable solutions that enable them to thrive.
The Gadja family’s story is a poignant reminder of the intricate interplay between farming practices, environmental conditions, and socio-economic factors that profoundly shape their lives and livelihoods.
So, how can the Gadja family and the people of Eilogo initiate a new project to address the threats to their livelihood and way of life? What assets do they have that can be maximised in disaster mitigation and adaptation strategies? What role can local wisdom play in strengthening their determination to achieve meaningful change?
Do you think all these questions have answers?
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