Local Resource Governance and Community-Driven Circular Economy Practices in Sukolilo Village

Abstract

This study examines how Sukolilo Village constructs a community-driven circular economy through the management of its key local resources, including ornamental grasses, brown sugar, samiler chips, and the Gentong Mas water-based tourism area. Using a qualitative approach comprising interviews, focus group discussions, and field observations, the research investigates how local actors govern natural resources while sustaining economic, social, and environmental values. Findings show that ornamental grass cultivation forms the village’s core economic identity, supported by long-standing networks among landowners, farmers, and collectors that enable informal yet resilient market circulation. Brown sugar artisans confront two major challenges: environmental concerns arising from the use of tire-burning as fuel and intense competition that has reduced the number of producers. These pressures have prompted the formation of an artisan association to strengthen collective bargaining and production standards. Meanwhile, samiler chip producers integrate traditional knowledge with modern marketing, relying on kinship-based distribution, social media, and regional networks. Across sectors, local beliefs, norms, and tacit knowledge help regulate extraction, maintain land fertility, and reinforce environmentally conscious practices. The study concludes that Sukolilo’s circular local economy emerges not from formal policy but from adaptive community agency, strong social relations, and embedded cultural values.