Walhi: The Shrimp Estate Program Will Damage The Mangrove Ecosystem In Indonesia

Coastal and Marine Campaign Manager Walhi Parid Ridwanuddin (left). (Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) said that the large-scale shrimp farming program or cultivation scheme would damage the mangrove ecosystem in Indonesia.

Coastal and Marine Campaign Manager Walhi Parid Ridwanuddin said the program was not much different from the food estate which was proven to have damaged the environment.

The difference, said Parid, was that the program was carried out on the coast, while the food estate was on land.

"So, on land, in the forest (food estate) we know it failed. Well, the failure is to be repeated on the coast," Parid said at a press conference in Jakarta, Tuesday, January 23.

Parid said the shrimp estate program was mainly focused on vaname shrimp.

This is because this type of shrimp has a large market share, both abroad and domestically.

This is what prompted the government to initiate the shrimp estate program.

Just so you know, the government through the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has built a shrimp estate in Kebumen, Central Java.

This program will also be built in Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Therefore, Parid is worried that the program can completely eliminate the mangrove ecosystem in Indonesia.

"The coastal areas that have been managed by the community are also threatened with being lost due to the shrimp estate program," he said.

According to Parid, the program is certainly inversely proportional to what is often echoed by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

In a number of international agendas, Jokowi often raises the issue of mangrove preservation.

Indonesia was even appointed as chairman with Climate Action at the United Nations 2023 Climate Change Summit (Conference of the Parties / COP) 28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, because it is considered the country with the widest mangrove ecosystem.

"So, if Jokowi's international forums often sell, that's it, mangroves, there is mangrove diplomacy. However, domestic policies actually collide or contradict, yes, among other things, if I mentioned earlier about the shrimp estate," he concluded.