Livelihood Resilience and Empowerment Through Herbal-Based Community Innovation in Kampung Herbal Nginden, Surabaya

Abstract

Urban communities in Indonesia face mounting socio-economic vulnerabilities, including limited livelihood opportunities, inadequate waste management, and health insecurities. In response, many have turned to grassroots innovations as pathways toward resilience and empowerment. This study examines Kampung Herbal Nginden in Surabaya, an urban neighborhood that integrates herbal cultivation, waste banks, and small enterprises (UKM) to strengthen livelihoods, foster resilience, and promote community empowerment.

Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through observation, semi-structured interviews with 15 community members, leaders, and partners, as well as document analysis. The analysis was guided by the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF), the social resilience framework, and the diamond strategy model. Data were thematically coded to capture strategies, challenges, and outcomes, with triangulation and member checking employed to ensure trustworthiness.

Findings reveal that herbal cultivation provided households with both direct health benefits and new income streams, while product innovation (such as herbal drinks and ointments) diversified revenue and revived cultural knowledge. The waste bank initiative linked environmental management to livelihood improvement, generating financial returns and reinforcing collective action. Small enterprises expanded the entrepreneurial culture of the community, creating opportunities particularly for women and youth. Empowerment outcomes were not limited to material gains but also included enhanced confidence, visibility of women’s leadership, and strengthened social cohesion. However, challenges such as limited financial capital, fragile market linkages, and ad hoc partnerships constrained scalability and long-term sustainability.

This study contributes theoretically by extending the SLF to incorporate cultural and ecological practices, demonstrating how traditional knowledge can be mobilized as an asset for urban resilience. It also highlights empowerment as both an outcome and a driver of resilience, where community agency fosters virtuous cycles of innovation and participation. Policy implications suggest that kampung tematik initiatives require not only recognition but also sustained investments in training, equipment, and market linkages. The case of Kampung Herbal illustrates the transformative potential of grassroots innovation in advancing livelihood resilience and empowerment within urban Indonesia..