Adaptive social protection and risk communication strategies for addressing disaster and climate vulnerability in rural Indonesia

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of hydro-meteorological disasters, disproportionately affecting vulnerable nations dependent on natural resources, which necessitates the development of robust community resilience mechanisms. This study investigates the integration of adaptive social protection (ASP) and risk communication strategies in disaster-prone rural areas of Lebak and Indramayu, Indonesia, focusing on how these mechanisms address vulnerability to disasters and climate change. Employing a qualitative research method, data was collected through 14 informant categories interviews and Focus Group Discussion with community members, local government officials, and non-governmental organizations to analyze existing communication strategies, identify specific social vulnerabilities (based on gender, occupation, and education), and explore the role of local wisdom. The results indicate that while local wisdom is a key asset for resilience, current ASP frameworks in rural settings often lack comprehensive integration, and risk communication strategies frequently fail to reach and empower the most vulnerable groups effectively. The study reveals a significant gap in translating risk knowledge into protective action due to pre-existing socio-economic inequalities. We conclude that enhancing community resilience requires a synergistic approach that systematically incorporates localized, culturally sensitive risk communication into ASP programming and explicitly targets the structural vulnerabilities to ultimately improve public health and safety outcomes, thereby supporting the achievement of SDGs 3, 10, and 11.