Securing Indonesia’s Groundwater Future: Why MARVI Is the Right Approach Now

A few weeks ago marked one year since the MARVI scoping workshop was held in Jakarta.  That meeting brought together people from government, research institutions, NGOs, and communities to rethink how Indonesia manages its groundwater—an essential but increasingly at-risk resource.

But the workshop was more than just a discussion.  It was a starting point for change.

Indonesia is facing serious groundwater problems. Too much extraction, pollution, sinking land, and changes in rainfall due to climate change are all happening at once.  Some cities are sinking.  Aquifers are drying up.  And many people are no longer connected to the water beneath their feet that they rely on for daily life.

Solutions from the top alone will not work anymore. What is needed now is an approach that starts with local people and builds from the ground up.  

That is exactly what MARVI offers.

What Is MARVI and Why It Works

MARVI—Managing Aquifer Recharge and Sustaining Groundwater Use through Village-Level Intervention—was developed in India.  Its core idea is simple: involve local communities directly in understanding and managing their own groundwater.

It is not about bringing in outside experts to solve problems.  Instead, local people are given tools, training, and support to collect their own groundwater data, understand what is happening, and take action—whether that means building recharge wells, saving water, or pushing for better policies.

This approach has worked well in India.  MARVI is now part of a national program that covers more than 10,000 villages.  After the Jakarta workshop, there is now strong interest in adapting this model for Indonesia.

Why Indonesia Is Ready

Indonesia already has many things in place to make MARVI work.  The country has a good legal and policy system for water.  It also has long-standing traditions of working together to manage water.  And, as shown in the MARVI scoping study, there is growing awareness that local people must be involved if groundwater is to be managed well.

Pilot areas have been identified in different parts of the country—from Java to Sumbawa.  But one place stands out for starting this journey: Bali.

Why Bali Is the Right Place to Start

Bali has a special water culture.  Its Subak system—a centuries-old, community-based way of managing irrigation—is well known and even recognised by UNESCO.  Subak is based on working together, respecting nature, and linking farming with local culture.  These values match closely with MARVI’s spirit.

A MARVI pilot in Bali could do the following:

• Work with Subak councils to choose pilot locations and design groundwater actions that build on existing ways of making decisions.
• Train local groundwater volunteers—similar to India’s Bhujal Jaankars—to monitor rainfall, water levels, and quality using simple tools like the MyWell app.
• Use easy, visual methods like Photovoice and mapping to help communities, especially women and other underrepresented groups, share their views.
• Combine traditional knowledge with science to help local farmers and cultural leaders understand groundwater recharge, pollution risks, and better water use.
• Involve the tourism industry, which uses a lot of water, to support recharge projects and show leadership in water-saving.
• Set up a simple system for monitoring and learning, led by local and regional bodies, to keep track of results, make sure everyone is included, and adjust plans as needed.

This pilot would not just test the model—it would show how local traditions and modern tools can work together to solve real water problems.  It would also show that Indonesia can lead the way in Southeast Asia for participatory groundwater management.

Looking Ahead: From Talk to Action

One year ago, we planted the seed for MARVI in Indonesia.  The need for action has only grown.  But so has the chance to do something meaningful.

Now is the time to take the next step.  We have the knowledge.  We have the tools.  We have growing partnerships.  And most importantly, communities are ready.

Let us not just remember last year’s workshop.  L et us act on it.  Let us start in Bali—and build a path for other parts of Indonesia to follow.

It is time to move from vision to action and from meetings to real change on the ground.