Building back stronger: Sustainable livelihoods as a strategy for landslide disaster mitigation and community resilience in Kulon Progo

¹ Department of Economics, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Bantul, Indonesia
² Master of Economics, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Bantul, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: ddewanti@umy.ac.id

Abstract

Landslides remain a persistent threat to rural communities in Indonesia, particularly in mountainous regions where poverty, poor infrastructure, and limited institutional presence heighten vulnerability. This study examines how livelihood capitals influence household disaster mitigation behavior in Samigaluh, Kulon Progo Regency an area highly prone to rainfall-induced landslides. Guided by the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF), data were collected through a structured household survey of 298 respondents across six villages. Multiple linear regression analyses assessed the roles of human, social, natural, physical, financial, and institutional-cultural (transforming structures and processes/TSP) capitals. Results show that natural capital especially rainwater harvesting and secure land tenure is the strongest predictor of mitigation behavior. Physical capital, represented by reliable electricity access, also shows a positive effect, while financial capital (log-transformed household income) is positively associated with preparedness, though with modest explanatory power. Conversely, participation in village religious gatherings within the TSP block is negatively related to mitigation, suggesting cultural forums may not foster preparedness unless disaster content is integrated. Human and social capital show limited direct influence, except for strong family accessibility, which supports collective response. The findings highlight the need for multi-capital, context-specific, and culturally sensitive disaster risk reduction strategies to strengthen resilience in landslide-prone rural areas.