Village Government Strategies for Landslide Disaster Mitigation and Community Preparedness in Disaster-Prone Areas

Abstract

This study examines the village government's strategy in disaster mitigation in Gantarang Village, Sinjai Tengah District, Sinjai Regency. Disaster mitigation is an effort to reduce risks and adverse impacts of disasters through planning, development, community awareness, and early warning systems. This research employed a qualitative phenomenological approach to deeply understand the mitigation strategies as well as supporting and inhibiting factors. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation, then analyzed using Miles & Huberman’s interactive model. The findings reveal that the Gantarang Village Government has implemented structural mitigation strategies such as building retaining walls, providing evacuation routes, determining shelters, and developing early warning systems. Non-structural mitigation strategies include regulation, disaster education, community training, and institutional strengthening. However, challenges remain, including limited budgets, uneven infrastructure, and low public awareness. Thus, disaster mitigation strategies in Gantarang can be categorized as being in a transition stage from reactive to anticipatory approaches, requiring stronger policies and sustainable resources.