Abstrack:
Papua is the largest Province in Indonesia with the smallest population .This area has abundant natural resources such as mineral reserves, indigenous forest ecosystems, and a diverse marine ecosystem. Papua also has vast fresh water resources in the form of rivers, lakes, and extensive wetlands. The area has a unique ecology, richest biodiversity, mangrove species, and globally significant cultural diversities. Papua has a minimum of 269 ethnic groups. Even though Papua has vast natural resources which contribute to the nation?s economy, the local people live in poverty. The central government has tried to address these issues with special attention to Papua, but as yet government efforts have not solved this problem. In particular, a lot of development has occurred in Papua which is understood to be unsustainable for the environment and the indigenous peoples of Papua. Recently, lowlands in Papua have been focused on for development, especially for agricultural purposes. However, if the government proceeds with development in an unsustainable way, it will lead to complex problems. The wetlands in Papua are significant at a global level, and environmental issues such as climate change and sea level rise and concerns for the indigenous peoples of Papua. To assist with better understanding these challenges, the main objectives of the study are to identify best management practice for water resources in the lowlands of Southern Papua using a Decision Support System and integrating traditional ecological knowledge. This exploratory research approach includes; a literature review; the Mauri Model Decision Making Framework; and on-location action participatory research for data collection and analysis.
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