Multi-Actor Collaboration in Data-Driven Village Development: A Digital Mapping Approach

Abstract

Climate change mitigation requires innovative governance approaches that can effectively translate global commitments into local action while accommodating diverse stakeholder interests and complex implementation challenges. This study examines the role of adaptive governance in enhancing Climate Village Program mitigation activities in Soppeng Regency, Indonesia, using a qualitative descriptive approach with data collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis across four participating villages (Timusu, Ganra, Lompulle, and Belo). The research analyzes three key dimensions of adaptive governance: collaborative policy objectives, participatory decision-making processes, and systematic knowledge application mechanisms. Findings reveal that villages achieving higher performance levels successfully implement adaptive governance principles through diverse stakeholder partnerships, flexible decision-making structures that accommodate multiple interests, and systematic integration of scientific knowledge with local experiential learning. The study demonstrates significant knowledge transfer patterns between villages, creating self-reinforcing networks of innovation and organizational learning that extend beyond formal program boundaries. High-performing villages like Timusu and Lompulle establish comprehensive collaboration networks involving government agencies, private sector partners, and community organizations, while implementing participatory decision-making processes that ensure broad stakeholder engagement. The research shows that adaptive governance enables villages to customize implementation strategies to local contexts while maintaining alignment with national climate objectives, contrasting with traditional top-down approaches that prove insufficient for addressing complex, multi-scale climate challenges. These findings contribute to theoretical understanding of adaptive governance in developing country contexts and provide practical insights for scaling community-based climate programs, suggesting that Indonesia's Climate Village Program serves as a viable model for translating global climate commitments into locally meaningful action through institutional arrangements that prioritize collaboration, participation, and continuous learning.