HARIANEXPRESS – Climate change is presenting unprecedented health challenges in Jambi, Indonesia, extending beyond agricultural impacts to directly affect public well-being. Unpredictable weather, altered rainfall patterns, and rising temperatures are influencing disease spread and complicating traditional health programs. In response, the Climate-Resilient Village/Urban Village (DEKSI) initiative empowers local communities to identify and implement health adaptation strategies. Jambi is the first Indonesian province to adopt this community-led model, showcasing how local actions can effectively address climate-related health risks.
Jambi Pioneers Community-Led Health Adaptation
The DEKSI initiative, which relies on community involvement to identify climate-related challenges and implement appropriate interventions, began as Desa Desi, focusing on villages.
Its scope expanded to include urban villages in September 2025, when its name officially changed to DEKSI.
This initiative started in 2018 after the Jambi Provincial Health Office (Dinkes) team attended climate adaptation training organized by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Susilawati, a sanitarian at the Jambi Provincial Health Office and a key DEKSI driver, recognized the critical need to bring this knowledge to rural areas.
“I realized how important it was to bring this to the villages. Climate change affects health, and communities need to learn to adapt,” she stated.
In 2019, she began promoting climate-resilient villages across the province, leveraging existing programs and occasionally using personal resources.
The leadership of the Provincial Health Office supported the concept, developing a provincial policy for sustainability and explaining its rationale to the governor.
Simultaneously, several villages began piloting the approach, using village funds to support community actions.
Jambi Governor Al Haris recognized the urgency, viewing the initiative as a strategic response to Jambi’s vulnerability to climate change.
A Gubernatorial Decree signed by him in 2024 provided the legal framework and unlocked provincial government funding for DEKSI villages.
“We decided to start from the bottom, helping villages understand the importance of maintaining their climate and ecosystems,” Governor Haris remarked.
Community Actions and Tangible Impacts
To strengthen and expand DEKSI’s implementation, the Ministry of Health has issued specific guidelines.
The Ministry also supports climate adaptation through developing technical guidelines and policy frameworks for health and environmental disaster response, alongside publishing the National Action Plan for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in the Health Sector for 2025–2030.
In Sri Agung Village, West Tanjung Jabung Regency, the initiative harnesses various community networks.
Family welfare cadres promote household waste management, while health cadres provide health education.
Youth members contribute through digital campaigns and social media outreach.
This participatory approach contrasts with traditional top-down health programs.
“At first, we were a bit surprised, so we had to learn and discuss with colleagues from the public health center and related agencies,” said Ani Rizka Amelia, a member of the DEKSI working group in Sri Agung.
Working groups, comprising representatives from women, youth, vulnerable groups, and other community organizations, are central to the initiative.
They identify climate-related health challenges, design solutions, and implement interventions to improve conditions.
Thobrani, the Head of Sri Agung Village, shared how the community enthusiastically planned and implemented activities after village meetings.
These activities included health cadre training, installing waste bins, and putting up disease prevention posters.
In 2024, the village allocated Rp67 million to support climate-resilient village activities.
Maria, a sanitarian at Talang Bakung Public Health Center, highlighted the community’s social strength as DEKSI’s primary asset.
“The community is already strong in gotong royong [mutual cooperation], so we built from there. Based on discussions with the DEKSI working group, we started with education on waste management, dengue fever prevention, nutrition, and medicinal plants,” Maria explained.
Residents have planted various medicinal herbs for common ailments, useful when access to health services is disrupted by climate-related disasters.
- Ginger for reducing inflammation.
- Celery for lowering blood pressure.
- Aloe vera for healing skin.
- Lemongrass for repelling mosquitoes.
Additionally, villagers cultivate vegetables in shared plots; harvested moringa leaves are used to make pudding for toddlers at posyandu activities, while other vegetables are sold locally.
The community also increased routine checks and eradicated mosquito breeding sites to prevent dengue spread, while working to acquire essential tools like composters and waste shredders.
Visible changes have emerged, with a reduction in climate-sensitive disease incidents in Sri Agung between 2023 and 2024.
Upper respiratory infections decreased from 7 to 3 cases, and diarrhea dropped from 2 to zero.
Waste management habits have also improved.
“Before, people threw trash anywhere. Now, trash is sorted. Some for compost, some for sale,” Thobrani noted.
“Before DEKSI, people didn’t understand how to manage waste. Now they understand better,” Maria added.
In Talang Bakung, DEKSI has helped residents maintain zero cases of diarrhea, worm infections, malaria, and dengue fever for three consecutive years.
A Model for National Health Resilience
Dr. Then Suyanti, Director of Environmental Health at the Ministry of Health, views Jambi’s leadership as a model for other provinces.
“What I see in Jambi is the strong commitment of local leadership. This will be an example or model for other provinces to accelerate the implementation of DEKSI,” she affirmed.
Governor Al Haris continues to encourage other regional leaders to adopt DEKSI.
“If we are late in addressing climate issues, we will also be late in saving our children and grandchildren in the future,” he warned.
Susilawati echoed the Governor’s sentiments.
“If we don’t protect the environment now, the impact will fall on our children and grandchildren. Protect the environment, and the environment will protect us,” she stated.
In the villages, a sense of ownership among the community members is growing.
“The environment is cleaner, people are more aware of healthy living, and our working group is more active,” Ani concluded. “We have come a long way and are ready to move forward.”
The DEKSI model in Jambi signifies a shift from reactive health responses to proactive, community-based climate adaptation.
By recognizing that environmental protection leads to human health, these villages are shaping a new approach to climate resilience in Indonesia.
