Social and Physical Capital Strongest for Lantebung Mangrove Ecotourism Community, Natural Capital Weakest

Image: article cover, from Sabar et al. (2025), Jurnal Wasian, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

A research team from Hasanuddin University has assessed the five livelihood capitals of the community in the Lantebung mangrove ecotourism area of Makassar, South Sulawesi. The findings indicate that local residents generally have an adequate supply of livelihood capital, although access to the five capitals remains uneven. The study was published in Jurnal Wasian Vol. 10 No. 02, 2025.

Of the five capitals measured, social capital and physical capital ranked highest, each scoring 2.44 and classified as high asset status. Human capital was at a moderate level with a score of 1.89, as was financial capital with a score of 1.86. The lowest position was occupied by natural capital with a score of 1.64. Scores in this study range from a minimum of 1.00 to a maximum of 3.00. This inequality of access is what makes the community's livelihood capital diagram asymmetrical.

For communities around the mangrove forest, these findings show that the strength of existing social relationships and physical infrastructure can serve as a foundation for improving livelihoods. Conversely, the low level of natural capital is an important caveat: the mangrove resources that underpin ecotourism must be safeguarded so that residents' enterprises can continue. This study assesses livelihood capital through five types of capital: human, natural, physical, social and financial.

Source and how to cite

This story is based on the research article Livelihood Assets of Lantebung Mangrove Ecotourism Community by Adrayanti Sabar, Emban Ibnu Rusyid, Fitrah Diana, Ansar Ansar, Nur Annisa, Wening Ila Idzatilangi and Chinty Agustiningrum, published in Jurnal Wasian Vol. 10 No. 02 (2025). The full article is free to read on the Jurnal Wasian website.

Cite the original article (APA 7):

Sabar, A., Rusyid, E. I., Diana, F., Ansar, A., Annisa, N., Idzatilangi, W. I., & Agustiningrum, C. (2025). Livelihood Assets of Lantebung Mangrove Ecotourism Community. Jurnal Wasian, 10(02), 01–10. https://doi.org/10.62142/3w65rp54

If you use these findings in coursework, a thesis or other writing, cite the original article above, not this news story. The original article is licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.