Waste Governance and Empowerment: Evidence from Ponorogo, Indonesia

This research is a case study with a qualitative descriptive approach, aiming to describe and analyze Waste Governance on community empowerment in waste management in Ponorogo Regency, Indonesia. This research designs a recommendation model, taking into account empirical conditions in the field. Data collection in this study used interviews, observation, documentation, and focus group discussions. This research involved informants from various elements in Waste Governance, including government, community, industry, academics, mass media, NGOs/Communities, and regulators. This research stems from the low community empowerment in managing community-based waste management facilities in Ponorogo Regency, Indonesia. This condition is caused by the low participation and involvement of the community in various community empowerment programs in waste management, resulting in the community's role becoming less than optimal in Waste Governance. This study illustrates the weak aspects of Waste Governance in Ponorogo Regency, Indonesia, such as: weak collaboration between the community and academics in community empowerment in waste management, failure to accommodate waste governance in business, education, and environmental interests, and not maximizing the institutionalization of the waste management agenda through the Clean Friday Movement. This research recommends strengthening aspects of Waste Governance, namely encouraging local leadership as a driving force in waste governance. This aspect relates to the role of local leadership and community leaders in mobilizing various community-based waste management facilities. The results of this research are expected to contribute to developing Waste Governance theory, as well as provide practical benefits in the practice of Waste Governance in Indonesia.