UGM Students Drive Climate Resilience in North Kalimantan
- 17 Sep 2026 14:38 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- UGM students helped coastal communities in West Tarakan address clean water, sanitation, waste and mangrove conservation challenges.
- The program introduced rainwater harvesting, urban farming, waste management and technology-based environmental monitoring to support long-term community resilience.
RRI.CO.ID, Yogyakarta - A student community service initiative by Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) is helping coastal residents in North Kalimantan tackle pressing environmental challenges through localized climate adaptation, clean water initiatives, and ecosystem conservation.
Operating in West Tarakan subdistrict between June and August 2026, the student deployment focused on Karang Anyar Pantai and Karang Rejo villages. The team spearheaded the Climate Village Program (ProKlim) to address acute coastal issues, including limited clean water access, poor sanitation, waste management, and mangrove degradation.
"Environmental issues in coastal areas cannot be solved in isolation, environmental resilience must be built integrally, spanning water, sanitation, food, health, waste management, ecosystem conservation, and community behavioral change," field supervisor and lecturer at UGM, Atus Syahbudin said, on Tuesday, September 15, as quoted on UGM's official website.
To counter brackish groundwater supplies, students mapped local water sources and tested filtration methods while introducing rainwater harvesting systems. They also provided training on Tripikon-S sanitation technology adapted to tidal conditions and hydraulic assessments.
Ecological efforts focused on strengthening the region's mangrove defenses through community tree-planting sessions, raising awareness on the links between mangroves and local fisheries, and compiling a wildlife guide cataloging 41 vertebrate species in the area, including the endangered proboscis monkey or bekantan (Nasalis larvatus).
In addition to environmental conservation, students promoted household sustainability through 3R waste management practices, ecobricks, and liquid organic fertilizer production. Food security was addressed using urban farming techniques suitable for limited spaces, such as vertical gardens, hydroponics, and bucket fish-and-vegetable farming.
The project also introduced appropriate technology, including Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to monitor mangrove temperature and humidity, water-quality monitors for aquaculture ponds, and solar panel demonstration kits.
"Students are present for a limited time, but residents live in these communities every day, the student service program must leave behind knowledge, capacity, institutional frameworks, and practical examples that the community can continue," Atus noted. ***
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