World Futures

The Journal of New Paradigm Research

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Transdisciplinary Approach for Solving Problems

in an Artisanal and small-scale gold mining in
Gorontalo, Indonesia

Hiroki Kasamatsu, Motoko Shimagami, Sri Manovita Pateda, Muziatun ,

Yayu Pongoliu, Yowan Tamu & Sahrin Bumulo

To cite this article: Hiroki Kasamatsu, Motoko Shimagami, Sri Manovita Pateda, Muziatun ,
Yayu Pongoliu, Yowan Tamu & Sahrin Bumulo (2023) Transdisciplinary Approach for Solving
Problems in an Artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Gorontalo, Indonesia, World Futures,
79:5, 593-609, DOI: 10.1080/02604027.2023.2183014

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/02604027.2023.2183014

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license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Published online: 27 Feb 2023.

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WORLD FUTURES
2023, VOL. 79, NO. 5, 593–609
https://doi.org/10.1080/02604027.2023.2183014

Transdisciplinary Approach for Solving Problems

in an Artisanal and small-scale gold mining in
Gorontalo, Indonesia
Hiroki Kasamatsua, Motoko Shimagamia, Sri Manovita Patedab,
Muziatunb, Yayu Pongoliub, Yowan Tamub and Sahrin Bumulob
a
Ehime University, Ehime, Matsuyama, Japan; bUniversitas Negeri Gorontalo,
Gorontalo, Indonesia

ABSTRACT KEYWORDS
The artisanal and small-scale gold mining site Artisanal and small-scale
(ASGM) located in the forest of Suwawa Timur gold mining (ASGM);
District, Bone Bolango Regency, was found to be Gorontalo; The Health
Resilience Village;
host to a number of unique problems. To solve transdisciplinary community
those problems, we, the researchers, seek to of practice (TDCOP)
endorse the implementation of transdisciplinary
communities of practice (TDCOP). Through dialogue
and discussion amongst stakeholders, the concept
of “The Health Resilience Village” was derived.
Furthermore, in order to solve the problems, our
project is leading to ongoing discussions in villages
near mines, the development of methods to reduce
mercury emissions, and the creation of livelihoods,
through TDCOP.

Introduction
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is a form of resource
development in which individuals and small groups mine for gold
using traditional methods. ASGM communities in many countries use
the mercury-amalgam method to refine gold because it is faster, sim-
pler, and cheaper than other methods (Gibb & O’Leary, 2014).
However, ASGM accounts for 38% of the global total of mercury

CONTACT Hiroki Kasamatsu kasamatsu.eu@gmail.com Bunkyocho 3, Ehime Prefecture,

790-8577, Matsuyama City, Japan.
ß 2023 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-
NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered,
transformed, or built upon in any way.
594 H. KASAMATSU ET AL.

emitted into the atmosphere (UNEP (United Nations Environment

Programme), 2018). Furthermore, since 2000, the price of gold on
the world market has remained high. Given that ASGM makes gold
mining easily accessible to anyone, providing an expeditious and
lucrative source of income, and that the price of gold has risen in
recent years, the number of people involved in ASGM is unlikely to
decrease in poorer regions and countries, such as within Asia, South
America, and Africa, regardless of the hazards to health which mer-
cury pollution poses and the risk of on-site accidents during mining.
Mercury pollution from mining is slowly but surely spreading, not
only affecting workers and communities around mines, but also
potentially reaching areas far from the mining area (Pateda et al.,
2021). Furthermore, ASGM activities have grown to become inextric-
ably linked to complex regional issues and interests. For these
reasons, although the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), 2018) and other
international organizations have taken various forms of action to
reduce mercury emissions, it has proven difficult to reduce the share
of mercury emissions produced by ASGM.
ASGM sites in Motomboto and Mohutango (Suwawa Timur District,
Bone Bolango Regency, Gorontalo Province, Indonesia) involve laborers
from outside the regency and the province. Lodging houses and restau-
rants can be found in the forest, forming what are essentially villages,
enabling the sites to function as so-called camp-type ASGM sites. In add-
ition to prevailing issues such as mercury emissions and accidents, there
are also problems specific to camp-type ASGM, which lead to particular
difficulties in finding solutions.
The Research Institute for Humanity and Nature’s SRIREP
(Sustainable Regional Innovation for Reducing Risk of High-impact
Environmental Pollution) project is working to mitigate these problems
through the promotion of transdisciplinary communities of practice
(TDCOPs) (SRIREP, 2022). The term “TDCOPs” refers to voluntary
groups conducting learning and practice toward problem resolution,
formed by various stakeholders working jointly, such as local residents,
administrators, businesspeople, and other nonacademics. The success of
their activities depends on their ability to involve people who are
“uninterested” in the issues to be resolved (Matsumoto et al., 2022). The
function of communities of practice is to bring together people interested
in cross-border issues and to promote knowledge creation (Wenger et al.,
2002). Such an integral community development functions via the three
domains of action/application, dialogue/process, and self-growth/reflection
(Hochachka, 2005). Participation takes the form of “multi-membership,”
 WORLD FUTURES 595

in which participants belonging both to official organizations and to the

community of practice, work in tandem to produce knowledge rooted in
the field via a dialogue between the two parties, which is then reflected in
the activities of the official organizations, leading to social implementa-
tion (Matsumoto et al., 2022).

Objectives and Survey Methods

Objectives
The first objective of the paper is to clarify the current situation and cir-
cumstances of camp-type ASGM. The target sites, Motomboto and
Mohutango, unlike commute-type ASGM located near villages, are mines
located in the middle of the forest. Because it has not yet been made clear
who is doing what kind of work there, conditions on-site were ascer-
tained through interviews and observation.
The second objective is to grasp the nature of the problems unique
to camp-type ASGM and its isolation from daily life. Because the
ASGM sites are sources of numerous socioeconomic problems, such as
health and environmental damage due to mercury use, as well as
socio-cultural changes and issues that expand to and encompass
nearby villages, this paper seeks to clarify targets and entry points for
improvement.
The third objective is to work toward resolving the problems caused
by ASGM at these sites through a collaboration between Japan’s SRIREP
project and Indonesia, by cooperating with the district and villages aspir-
ing toward the formation of a TDCOP, and exploring the efficacy of
intervention and points for improvement.

Survey Methods
The overview of East Swawa District was conducted by Shimakami
using statistical data. Kasamatsu conducted on-site interviews discus-
sing the residents’ main industries and sources of income. Kasamatsu,
Pateda, Muziatun, Pongoliu, Tamu and Bumulo conducted on-site
interviews and data collection from miners, mineshaft owners and
refinery owners throughout the ASGM sites present in Motomboto
and Mohutango. Discussions with the district head, village heads and
the clinic officer were held by Pateda, Muziatun, Pongoliu, Tamu and
Bumulo. It should be noted that the consultations held were not per-
formed only for research purposes, but were enacted to facilitate the
TDCOP activities.
596 H. KASAMATSU ET AL.

The Reality of Camp-Type Asgm

ASGM in Gorontalo Province
Gorontalo Province is located in the northern part of Sulawesi, at a lati-
tude of 0
190 0000 –1
570 0000 N and a longitude of 121
230 0000 –125
140 0000 E,
and runs approximately 265 km from east–west and 90 km from north–
south for a total area of 12,435 km2. It includes the capital, Gorontalo
City, and five regencies, with a population of 1,133,237 as of 2016. West
of Gorontalo City lies Lake Limboto, with an area of approximately
2,400 ha, which is revered as a symbol of the province. However, it is
rapidly becoming shallower and smaller due to an influx of sediment
from rivers.
As shown in Figure 1, eight ASGM operations have been confirmed
in Gorontalo Province, of which Bumela has already been closed. The
Marisa, Sumalata, Sumalata Timur, Illangata, and Dungilata sites are
located close to villages, enabling daily commuting, and can be
described as commute-type ASGM sites. According to interviews con-
ducted during visits from 2016 to 2019, most of the mine managers
and miners involved in commute-type ASGM are residents of the
nearest villages.
On the contrary, Motomboto and Mohutango in Suwawa Timur
District, Bone Bolango Regency, are farther from villages and
connected only by unpaved mountain roads. The only transportation
methods are off-road motorcycles or walking, so the workers cannot
commute on a daily basis. These locations are designated as camp-type
ASGM sites.

Figure 1. Distribution of ASGM by type in Gorontalo.

 WORLD FUTURES 597

Figure 2. Location of Suwawa Timur District.

Overview of Suwawa Timur District

Below is a detailed description of the Motomboto and Mohutango camp-
type ASGM sites, beginning with an overview of Suwawa Timur District,
where they are located.
Suwawa Timur District has an area of 127.8 km2, accounting for most
of Bone Bolango Regency, as shown in Figure 2. However, the main resi-
dential villages are in the west of the district, and much of its land area is
forested, including a national park. The villages that make up the admin-
istrative units underwent reorganization twice in the early 2010s; at pre-
sent, there are nine in total.
In the 2010s, the district population was in the 5,000s, but it shot up
from 5,518 to 7,998 between 2019 and 2020, a sudden increase of 2,480
people. This can be attributed to the onset of the novel coronavirus pan-
demic, as it is believed that residents who had gone to work elsewhere
returned to their home villages.
The main industry is agriculture, with the region producing corn and
a small quantity of fruits and vegetables. Motorcycle drivers consist
mainly of young male individuals, belonging to no overarching organiza-
tion. They transport people, their luggage, cement, foodstuffs, market pur-
chases, machinery, parts needed for amalgam decomposition processes,
construction materials, fuel, and so on. In addition to the farmers and
motorcycle drivers mentioned above, some residents also work as ASGM
miners. As described below, their income is not derived wholly from the
mines, as they tended to divide their time between mining, agricultural
and motorcycle-based work.
598 H. KASAMATSU ET AL.

Mine Structure
Gold mining in Suwawa Timur District began during the Dutch colonial
period in the 18th century. Tropic Endeavor Indonesia’s 1988 investment
led to significant development in gold mining in the district. In 1991,
operations stopped with the designation of a national park. However,
local residents immediately began to work in the existing mines, where
they continue to work to the present date (Kimijima et al., 2021).
As seen in Figure 2, Motomboto and Mohutango are located in the
forest area, about two hours by motorcycle from the nearest village,
Tulabolo Timur. Since the 1970s, various mining enterprises have begun
and promptly abandoned work here.

Figure 3. State of the mining site. (a) Dirt road to Motomboto. Ojek drivers bring
people and materials by motorcycle. (b) The landscape of the mining site as seen
from above, resembling a village. (c) Making amalgam from stones carried from a
tunnel with amalgam decomposition facilities. (d) Amalgam being heated with a
burner to evaporate the mercury and extract gold. (e) Lodging with very simple
beds. (f) Coffee shop in mining site. The owner is also a former miner.
 WORLD FUTURES 599

Figure 4. Inflow of mining laborers at Motomboto and Mohutango in October 2020.

ASGM operated by local residents began in the areas abandoned by

the mining companies in 1991. The site includes the mines along with
crushing and amalgam decomposition facilities, as well as lodgings, cafe-
terias, and coffee shops for the miners; there is even a karaoke parlor,
making the surroundings much like a village. However, these buildings
amount to scarcely more than simple huts (Figure 3).
Multiple mineshafts exist on-site, divided into, as of 2018, 19 num-
bered areas. Some of the mineshafts are currently in use, whereas others
have been abandoned, due to declines in the amount of gold available.
Motomboto and Mohutango have about 100 mineshafts in total, making
it the largest mining area located in Gorontalo Province.
Crushing and amalgam decomposition facilities are clustered around
the mineshaft areas, with lodgings and restaurants nearby as well. The
rocks brought up from the mineshafts are carried here by the workers on
foot.
The mineshaft entrances see a great deal of foot traffic and serve as
storage spaces for goods. There is a waiting area for transporters, where
outside goods are handed over.

Mineshaft Owners and Refinery Owners

Each mineshaft has a different owner, most of whom are local residents,
including some village heads. The owners provide capital for the neces-
sary mining tools as well as workers’ wages, food and transportation
costs. The crushing and amalgam decomposition facilities also have own-
ers, who in a similar manner pay for the facilities, cover the cost of
600 H. KASAMATSU ET AL.

buying and transporting the necessary materials, and pay the workers’
wages, food and transportation costs. The mineshaft owners call on the
refinery owners to extract the gold, while the refinery owners purchase
the gold and divide the resulting income as agreed upon in negotiations
between mineshaft owners and refinery owners. The refinery owners are
involved in the results of gold sales because the gold content significantly
affects their income. In addition, some owners manage both mineshafts
and amalgam decomposition facilities.
Half of the owners’ profits is used for workers’ wages. Wages are dis-
tributed based on the number of days worked, with food costs subtracted.
When the owners are called on to abandon the management of their
mineshafts for whatever reason, most of them pass on the management
rights to their wives, children, or other family members. Furthermore, if
gold is found in a new location, anyone can invest in the digging of a
mineshaft and become an owner.

Laborers
Table 1 shows the number of mine laborers in 2020 by month according
to on-site data collection from mineshaft owners conducted in October
2020. November and December values are estimates. While the number
differs by season, on average, approximately 1,000 people per month
work in the mines, more than half coming from outside the regency.
According to the same interviews, there were approximately 1,440 work-
ers at the time, living in the locations shown in Figure 4. 835 laborers
came from the nearby Bone Bolango Regency and 603 laborers came
from Gorontalo City area, the neighboring provinces and elsewhere in
Sulawesi. The laborers have their own networks, which they use to attract
acquaintances to a particularly promising mine with high wages or to

Table 1. Monthly Number of Mining Laborers in 2020

Laborers from Percentage of
out of regency Laborers in Monthly total laborers from out
2020 (people) regency (people) (people) of regency (%)
January 400 700 1,100 63.6
February 450 800 1,250 64.0
March 457 785 1,242 63.2
April 500 750 19250 60.0
May 560 801 1,361 58.9
June 300 120 420 28.6
July 300 90 390 23.1
August 450 302 752 40.2
September 600 890 1,490 59.7
October 603 835 1,438 58.1
November 600 700 1,300 53.8
December 600 400 1,000 40.0
Total 5,820 7,173 12,993 55.2
 WORLD FUTURES 601

make inquiries about good places to work. They may choose their own
work periods, with individual work periods as short as one–three weeks
or as long as six months on-site. Working for three–four months earns
them approximately 20 million Rupiah (1,337 USD).
Regardless of the length of the work period, the wage is the same.
Work start times vary, and work hours are affected by the weather.
However, the excavation target remains a minimum of 15 kg per person
per day. Total wages are distributed to workers in accordance with the
number of days they work.
Workers are organized by mineshaft, but owners with more capital
available can hire more workers. In some cases, workers are divided
according to day and night shifts to enable 24-hour excavation.

General Problems with ASGM

The Attraction of ASGM Labor-based Income in Farming Villages
Farmers with the most land can earn approximately 55 million Rupiah
(3,677 USD) a year, and motorcycle drivers can earn 36–120 million
Rupiah (2,407–8,022 USD), estimated to be somewhat higher than farm-
ing incomes, even with fuel and motorcycle maintenance costs subtracted.
As a side note, the minimum wage in Gorontalo province in 2020 was
2,788,826 Rupiah (186 USD) a month, which was approximately 33 mil-
lion rupiah (2,206 USD) on an annual basis.
In contrast, ASGM mine workers earn about 20 million Rupiah (1,337
USD) over three–four months; even if they do not work year-round, this
adds up to 60–80 million Rupiah (4,011–5,348 USD) yearly. While their
living conditions are hardly pleasant and they face the risk of mineshaft
collapse, they still earn marginally more than farmers and can freely plan
their own working hours. Moreover, farmers must wait until harvest to
obtain their earnings, while mine laborers have no need to wait.
In Suwawa Timur District, where low-income agriculture is the main
industry and there is little freedom of choice in occupations, ASGM jobs
are attractive. Given that Motomboto and Mohutango are among the
major destinations of motorcycle drivers, their earnings can also be said
to be dependent on ASGM.

Health and Environmental Damage

It has been pointed out that the disposal of cyanide and mercury pollutes
the environment surrounding ASGM facilities (Veiga et al., 2014). The
water containing mercury flows into rivers and damages the health of peo-
ple and animals in the watershed. According to interviews conducted with
602 H. KASAMATSU ET AL.

residents of Tulabolo Timur village, ASGM effluents have led to the

decrease and eventual disappearance of fish stocks since 2009. The village
water is drawn from near the mines, but because the post-amalgam decom-
position water flows directly into the river, the water drawn from there is
unusable, requiring farmers to rely on rainwater. Mercury emissions and
silt from mines are thought to have contributed to this situation.
During the amalgam decomposition process which takes place in
ASGM labor, the amalgam is heated over a burner to evaporate the mer-
cury, which has a low boiling point. This emits vaporized mercury which
is released into the atmosphere, but no equipment is used to prevent it
from scattering, and workers do not wear protective gear, despite their
close proximity to the emitted mercury.

Problems of Camp-Type AGSM

According to visits and interviews conducted in October–November 2020
in Suwawa Timur District with village chiefs and in clinics and ASGM
areas, Motomboto and Mohutango face the following problems, which
are considered characteristic of camp-type ASGM.

Lack of Health Management Systems

The mine areas have no medical facilities or health centers and lack suffi-
cient health management. Workers who become ill or injured there must
travel two hours by motorcycle, over poor terrain, to the nearest clinic.
Furthermore, the district residents are disinclined to trust health-care
personnel.

Children without Access to Sufficient Education

Some of the mine workers are accompanied by their families, including
children who should be in school. The number and statistical percentages
of such cases are not clear, but because there is no elementary school in
the mine area, they lack access to sufficient education.

Influx of Sex Workers

Because the mine workers are mainly men, living away from their families
in the mine camp, female sex workers have entered the camp. They appear
to be part of an organization rather than acting as individuals. However,
their presence is difficult to discern in the immediate surroundings of the
mine area; transactions appear to take place in the site’s coffee shop.
 WORLD FUTURES 603

Problem-Solving via the “The Health Resilience Village”

The Background of the “The Health Resilience Village”
Discussion with Stakeholders
In response to the problems of the mine and the district, we have carried
out continuous discussion from November 2020 onwards. The members
included the Suwawa Timur district head, the village heads within the
district, the mine owners, and mine workers. In addition to face-to-face
discussions on-site, we exchanged opinions with researchers in Japan
online.
During the discussion, we focused on ASGM issues, finding a shared
directionality toward their resolution among participants. Therefore, the
district, the villages, and Gorontalo State University decided to collabora-
tively promote activities striving toward what was dubbed “The Health
Resilience Village”.
“Health,” as the word is used here, refers not only to physical health
but also to every aspect of health, including the residents’ lifestyles, nat-
ural environment, economy, and education. In other words, regional
issues are considered as being interrelated: focusing on a single issue is
unlikely to lead to fundamental solutions. Rather, the key is to under-
stand and cope with the whole.
In response, practical preparations have been underway since 2021 for
activities centered on collaboration with residents and provision of med-
ical services.

Starting Event
On March 29, 2021, an event was held in Tulabolo Village, Suwawa Timur
District. The regional authorities of Bone Bolango Regency and Suwawa
Timur District outlined the definition of “The Health Resilience Village”
and declared that stakeholders would collaborate on the activities.
Furthermore, the group known as “Youths Working for the Regional
Environment” was reorganized. This group was established in 2017 fol-
lowing a suggestion from a medical researcher of Universitas Negeri
Gorontalo as one of our members to the mine workers. At the time,
approximately 20 mine workers aged 17–26 participated in activities such
as health checks for mine workers, palm sugar production, and collection
of books for children. However, the leaders left the district for university
study and mine work or became busy with motorcycle work, making it
difficult to meet. At this point, young people other than miners from
Suwawa Timur District were also included in a relaunch of activities
developed by the youth.
604 H. KASAMATSU ET AL.

In addition, health checkups were held free of charge for residents and
were mainly handled by medical personnel from Universitas Negeri
Gorontalo.

Issues of “The Health Resilience Village”

Multiple groups exist under the umbrella of the “The Health
Resilience Village” concept. One, composed of district and village
regional authorities and university personnel, has been holding dis-
cussions since the preliminary stages. Along with Universitas Negeri
Gorontalo, which has expertise in this area, their approach is to
hold discussions and make policy decisions about creating structures,
developing activities, and implementing them. There is a growing
need to fuze these two arenas of decision-making and guidance
(Williams, 1992). The discussions undertaken so far have the poten-
tial to develop into the eventual formation of a TDCOP, but at the
present moment, this group lacks the participation of diverse stake-
holders. Furthermore, the district and village leaders participating in
this group do so based on their positions, that is, when the holders
of the official positions change, so too do the participants, making it
difficult to achieve multi-membership. Therefore, this group cannot
yet be deemed a TDCOP and instead functions as a policy-making
section.
The second group is “Youths Working for the Regional Environment”.
Composed of younger mine workers and district residents, it is expected
to conduct surveys in cooperation with UNG and develop transformative
learning in the future (Matsumoto et al., 2022). Furthermore, it can still
continue and develop the activities conducted since its founding.
However, it has still not reached a stage in which all members participate
actively in the planning and implementation of projects, requiring further
growth to function as a COP or TDCOP.
Given that these two groups have different aims—policy-making on
the one hand and mine workers looking out for their own health on the
other—and different social positions—regional leaders as opposed to local
youths—it is difficult for them to work together consistently. The cultural,
historical, and socioeconomic context of the region means that young
mine workers find it difficult to express individual opinions to those of a
higher standing, such as village heads or the district head from a position
of equality and are instead likely to speak in accordance with the leaders’
opinions. This tendency is particularly pronounced in Asian societies
such as that of Indonesia, where the rigid maintenance of social hierar-
chies are explicitly practiced.
 WORLD FUTURES 605

Figure 5. TDCOP formed to resolve problems related to AGSM.

Formation of TDCOPs for Problem Solving

Taking the above situation into account, the project began to consider
and implement specific solutions to the aforementioned problems. Several
TDCOPs were formed simultaneously, consolidating into an entity
dubbed “The Health Resilience Village” and have begun educational, net-
working and pilot activities. These TDCOPs are made up of residents of
the Suwawa Timur District and researchers of Universitas Negeri
Gorontalo and the SRIREP project (Figure 5).

Mercury Reduction Technology Group

This party seeks to develop and improve equipment which recovers mer-
cury generated in the amalgam decomposition process. Such equipment
will continue to be improved based on the results of actual use by miners
in the mining areas.

Karawo Research Group

This group is concerned with the creation of livelihoods aimed at alleviat-
ing poverty. Traditional embroidery or “Karawo” is a side business for
residential women, but wages are low and orders are received within a
limited regional network. We are aiming for stable production and
income by finding sales channels and a network of orders outside the
606 H. KASAMATSU ET AL.

region and overseas. We are currently expanding the opportunities for

introduction to exhibitions and events in Japan.

Natural Fiber Research Group

In the Suwawa Timur District, the indigenous technology of making nets
from sugar palm fibers is still practiced. This net is durable and can be
marketed by finding numerous ways to employ it. Currently, we are con-
ducting tests in Indonesia and Japan for use in slope protection and wall
greening of buildings.

Sorghum Research Group

As part of the effort to increasing agricultural profit yields, this group
aims to proliferate the cultivation of sorghum. Since sorghum seeds have
potential as a healthy food product, we are seeking ways to distribute
them while promoting understanding of their effects. We are also experi-
menting with feeding goats with sorghum leaves and stems.

Geo-Cafe Gorontalo
In order to secure new income streams, we are also aspiring to develop
tourism based on Gorontalo’s unique geographical features. In collabor-
ation with the provincial government, with the entire Gorontalo province
as its target region, the Suwawa Timur District in particular has found
potential for hot spring use, mountain trekking, and bird watching.

Tulabolo Social Research Group

Tulabolo Village is one of the villages host to many mineshaft/refinery
owners and miners. The Tulabolo Social Research group was established
in January 2022 in collaboration with village residents, including mine
workers and the village head. Guidance courses, interviews, and discus-
sions via the screening of educational videos related to mercury pollution
are ongoing as part of the effort to foster understanding among residents.

Discussion: Toward Future Developments

Involving the “Indifferent” People
The majority of the camp-type ASGM workforce comprises workers from
outside the regency or the province. Problems unique to camp-type
ASGM, with its isolated forest locations, have been found to include a
lack of medical care and schools, as well as an influx of sex workers. The
 WORLD FUTURES 607

administrative leaders’ concerns about these issues led to the rapid estab-
lishment of “The Health Resilience Village”.
Moreover, because residents were already acutely conscious of the
struggles in escaping from poverty, TDCOP, which directly creates liveli-
hoods, has made rapid progress. As shown in Figure 5, headway has been
made in the formation of TDCOPs by various stakeholders, and activities
aimed at solving problems have already begun.
In spite of this, the challenge now being faced is how to involve the
“indifferent” people, a factor which may well determine the success or
failure of TDCOP. With agriculture being the main source of income in
the Suwawa Timur District, some residents turn to ASGM as a quick
means of obtaining income. For such laborers, the risk of disaster from
collapsing mines, hard physical labor, and mercury poisoning are not
convincing enough reasons to stop working in ASGM. In order to reduce
the number of miners and disseminate mercury emission control technol-
ogy, it is necessary to actively and steadily engage in educational guidance
and dialogue with regards to the dangers of mercury and the necessity of
countermeasures. These activities may form the cornerstone of strategies
for future consensus building. The discussions with district and village
leaders and the activities of the reorganized “Youths Working for the
Regional Environment”, which in turn led to the establishment of “The
Health Resilience Village”, have only just begun. In order to move for-
ward, stakeholders are expected to continue learning and engaging in dia-
logue at TDCOPs such as the Tulabolo Social Research group under “The
Health Resilience Village” concept.

Promoting Independence
Regarding transdisciplinary research, it has been pointed out that there
is a lack of correlative integration of knowledge from different fields
(Cervantes et al., 2018). The need for such a form of organization
stems from the fact that transdisciplinary research bridges the gap
between academia and the broader public by acknowledging the value
of knowledge obtained from diverse, nonacademic stakeholders in the
community, government, and business (Mitchell & Maharjan, 2020).
The same applies to the promotion of TDCOP, and it is necessary to
actively integrate and cooperate with the knowledge and opinions of
researchers, policy makers and residents. Universities and governments
may lead the TDCOP in the early stages, but the TDCOP can eventu-
ally reach a state of self-management, independently influencing stake-
holders in the later stages (Liu et al., 2022).
The establishment of “The Health Resilience Village” and formation of
TDCOPs for problem solving were led by Universitas Negeri Gorontalo.
608 H. KASAMATSU ET AL.

However, with regard to the solution of regional issues, the residents are
not guests, but rather active agents, who must solve their local problems
autonomously. It is necessary to construct a system and adopt a stance
that enables independent development of activities and avoids immobil-
ization in the event that external participants should change or leave. For
the people involved to act independently, the attitudes of the ordinary
residents such as mine workers and villagers must be transformed, allow-
ing them to take regional issues personally. It is also important to derive
knowledge and techniques leading to improved lifestyles, environmental
maintenance and preservation, and job creation from each individual’s
standpoint. In this regard, the solving of complex problems through
interactivity has been pointed out as a likely possibility (Pipere & Lorenzi,
2021). Such a method has alternatively been described as work-based
learning, which is an emergent transdisciplinary mode of study
(Fergusson & Laan, 2021). In addition, transdisciplinary methodology is
focused on re-learning, literacy and a dialogue of knowledge (Madrazo
et al., 2018).
Likewise, the awareness of researchers and outsiders must also change.
It has been indicated that one way to achieve this is to become transdisci-
plinary individuals (Augsburg, 2014). Researchers tend to adopt the atti-
tude that they are the ones who collect and analyze the data, and that the
local people should follow their conclusions. However, it is essential to
investigate, think, and act together.

Acknowledgments
Sincere appreciation goes to The Research Institute for Humanity and Nature
(RIHN: a constituent member of NIHU) for their valuable comments and
discussions.

Funding
This research was funded by The Research Institute for Humanity and Nature
(RIHN: a constituent member of NIHU), Project No.14200102.

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