Abstract
Indigenous knowledge, which has been created from a long experience of human activities with ecosystem and environment, is essential for the sustainability of natural resources. Due to the advance of the global economy and changes in social structure, indigenous knowledge has mostly disappeared. A modern approach toward managing natural resources, such as Water Users’ Association (“P3A” in Indonesia), has been introduced under government totalitarianism. Yet, institutional problems, such as low participation in maintaining irrigation facilities, have occurred in some regions where traditional values have been excluded from irrigation management. Nevertheless, in some regions where traditional values have survived, P3A could have managed irrigation systems under the new irrigation policy. This study aimed to reassess the indigenous irrigation system based on traditional values in West Sumatra, compare irrigation management in two irrigation institutions in Agam District, and evaluate the persistence of traditional values in the current irrigation system. Using the comparative case study approach, it was found that there are two aspects of persistence in the traditional values in the current P3A system, i.e., Mufakat (consensus) and the roles of an indigenous leader. These values were identified as a “bridging value” between traditional and modern irrigation systems. Based on these findings, this study suggests possible solutions for improving the dysfunction of P3As by recognizing the rights to organize P3A based on Minangkabau traditional value, by implementing Mufakat in the P3A decision-making process, and by creating social capital by farmers themselves under Penghulu (clan leader) encouragement.
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The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Notes
Custom, customary law, mores, manner, and ways (Osmet 1991).
The three homeland of Minangkabau ancestors; Agam District, Lima Puluh Kota District, and Tanah Datar District (Dobbin 1983).
Nagari means the cultural territory which is traditionally composed of land claimed by the community (Oki 1977).
Nagari is the basic unit of settlement in Minangkabau, comprising the kota (city) or original village and dependent out-settlements; under the Dutch, it became the lowest unit of administration (Dobbin 1983).
The king Adityawarman was coming from Majapahit kingdom in Java Island. He used the Majapahit authority military expansion and conquered West Sumatra. He succeeded to rule some part of Sumatera. His empire was called Sumatera-Java empire (Dobbin 1983).
Suku is the largest lineal unit whose member are believed to have the same matrilineal ancestor (Oki 1977).
Paruik is a matrilineal group living in Rumah Gadang (traditional house), consisting of three generations (Oki 1977).
Kampuang consists of several families that inhabitants Rumah Gadang (traditional house).
Ulayat is communal property that belongs to Suku (clan).
Penghulu is a Suku leader. He is usually chosen among the wealthy and influential family.
Kerapatan adat is customary council used for resolving dispute that are not solving at the lower level (Kato 1982).
Niniak Mamak is an indigenous adviser for Penghulu and other clan members. One of these persons is Cadiak Pandai (intellectual) who is educated, skilled, wealthy, and influential in the community. The other Niniak Mamak is Alim Ulama (religious scholars) who excels in religious teaching. Their role is to give advices to Penghulu, mostly regarding conflict resolution.
Clan members are Niniak Mamak, Tuo Banda, and villagers (Fig. 3).
Rodi is a forced labor system that was introduced by the Dutch Colonial Government during the colonialism in Indonesia. In the case of koffiestelsel, Rodi was implemented to force Minangkabau people to work in coffee plantation.
Parak was originally natural forest that belonged to Suku. Parak could be used by clan member with the consent of Penghulu.
Individualization in this paper refers to individual acts that achieve personal rather than group interests (Olson 1971).
Common Pool Resources is a natural or hand-made resources system that is sufficiently large as to make it costly to exclude potential beneficiaries from obtaining benefit from its use (Ostrom 1990).
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank farmers and the management board in P3A Jorong Biaro and P3A Karya Mandiri for their cooperation during the interview and co-work in the field observation. The authors would also like to thank the key informants for their support in the field observation and giving on-site information.
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Utami, A.S., Oue, H. Traditional value and its function in managing modern irrigation system in West Sumatra Indonesia. Sustain. Water Resour. Manag. 9, 54 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-023-00830-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-023-00830-5