Kabupaten Sumbawa Barat (KSB) is one of the kabupaten (districts) in West Nusa Tenggara Province with a very large proportion of the mining and quarrying sector. Statistics Indonesia (BPS) recorded that in 2021, the sector contributed no less than 81.89% to the regional gross domestic product (GDP). This resulted in KSB being dependent on the mining and quarrying sector—the fluctuation in its economic growth follows the fluctuation in the growth of this sector. On the other hand, the poverty and inequality rates in KSB were still above the national average.

This study aims at providing an overview of the baseline data by mapping the socioeconomic conditions of the communities living around the mining area in KSB. This study is expected to provide input necessary for the community development programs which will be or are being developed in the region based on the assessment of the region’s socioeconomic condition. This study was conducted in nine kecamatan (subdistricts) distributed in two kabupaten: KSB (the treatment area) and Kabupaten Sumbawa (the control area). We conducted a survey involving 1,000 households and in-depth interviews with community development programs’ partners and stakeholders at the household, village, kecamatan, and kabupaten levels. This study analyzes several socioeconomic indicators that have been adapted from the indicators and standards used at the national and international levels. These indicators were grouped into seven analytic aspects: education, employment, nonmining economy, economic infrastructure, basic infrastructure, health, as well as social and environmental vulnerability.

This study finds that some indicators have performed well. However, some issues need to be addressed and several indicators need to be prioritized for the community development programs by stakeholders, including the regional government, to improve the welfare of the communities living around the mining area in KSB. Stakeholders must pay special attention to those issues when formulating strategies and steps as well as determining the programs’ target. All those strategies, steps, and targets should be focused on improving the regions’ healthcare system, formal education, human resources quality, tourism sector, and support for developing micro- and small-scale enterprises (MSEs).

Suggested citation:

Indrio, Veto Tyas, Ana R. Tamyis, Wandira Larasati, and Sylvia Andriyani Kusumandari (2024) ‘Baseline Assessment: The Socioeconomic Condition of the Communities around the Mining Area in Kabupaten Sumbawa Barat.’ Research Report No. 1/2024. Jakarta: The SMERU Research Institute <URL> [access date].