Cultural Adaptation and Local Wisdom: The Role of Tolaki Women in Sustaining Rice Farming Under Climate Change

Abstract

This study aims to explore the adaptive strategies of Tolaki women farmers in responding to climate change within the rice farming system in Matabuhu Village, South Konawe, Southeast Sulawesi. The focus is to understand how local women integrate traditional ecological knowledge with modern agricultural innovations to sustain productivity and community resilience. The research employed a qualitative ethnographic approach conducted from March to August 2025. Data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews with 20 key informants, and documentation. Thematic analysis was used to identify women’s roles across each stage of the rice farming cycle, from land preparation to post-harvest management. The results show that Tolaki women play four central roles: as custodians of ecological knowledge, social mobilizers, adaptive innovators, and architects of local food security. They combine indigenous ecological knowledge with agricultural extension inputs to develop climate-smart practices, strengthen samaturu (collective cooperation) and mosalipue (mutual assistance), and maintain household food reserves through the ala (granary) system. These practices enhance ecological balance, social solidarity, and resilience to climatic uncertainty. This study highlights a community-based model of climate-smart agriculture led by women. The Tolaki women’s adaptation model demonstrates that sustainable agriculture under climate pressure depends not only on technology but also on cultural values, gendered knowledge, and collective action—providing valuable insights for inclusive agricultural policy in tropical regions.