Mangrove Linked Pond Cultivation Can Increase Traditional Farmers' Income

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Network Foundation consultant Roel H Bosma said the damage to mangrove forests in Indonesia was caused by human activities in earning a living. The existence of mangrove forests began to be replaced with ponds. In fact, the impact of logging mangroves will not only damage the habitat of marine biota but also people's homes.

Furthermore, Roel said that currently public awareness to protect mangrove forests is starting to increase. They already know the bad impact if there is no mangrove and the positive impact of the mangrove forest.

Roel said that the total economy can be predicted from the origin of the mangrove environment in various regions. This total economic value (TEV) is calculated based on four categories that vary according to local conditions. First, the cultural value which includes recreation, inspiration, education can reach almost IDR 45 million per hectare per year.

"The value of the provisions covering food sources, wood, medicines and so on reaches more than Rp. 12 million per hectare per year," he said in the Building with Nature Indonesia-Aquaculture Supporting Mangrove webinar, Wednesday, June 2.

Third, the value of the habitat, including the function as a place to live for people to support the life cycle of marine life, reaches almost Rp. 200 million. Finally, the regulatory value of capturing sediment, and sequestering carbon dioxide and preventing erosion could be worth more than IDR 2 billion.

"For example, the TEV of mangrove forests in South Minahasa is estimated at IDR 500 million per hectare per year, only the best shrimp farms can benefit like that. Most traditional shrimp farms earn 10-40 times less," he said.

However, said Roel, compared to the Philippines, Indonesia in this case Demak does not have wide greenbelts. In Demak the mangroves do not protect the ponds, the mangroves are washed away by the waves and only a few rows remain.

"The old system only produces wood that absorbs a little carbon dioxide and there is no fishery habitat because it is not connected to the estuary and there is no protection from on time. I proposed to BwNI to implement aquaculture connected to mangroves," he said.

Positive impact of ponds connected to mangroves

Roel said, with the position of mangroves outside ponds and on riverbanks, mangroves will maintain water quality, protect ponds, capture sediment, protect beaches and riverbanks, and provide habitat for wild fish, shrimp, crabs and economic biota.

"To increase people's incomes and increase understanding of the importance of greenbelts, BwNI uses the fishpond origin approach by the Blue Forest Foundation. Many say that pond schools are too expensive," he said.

In fact, said Roel, the fact is that the increase in the annual income of farmers is higher than the cost of the program. Roel said it shows that traditional milkfish and shrimp farmers can improve their pond management, net profit, and they can protect and build mangrove greenbelts.

"In addition, trained farmers make innovations, for example by using shrimp nurseries and feed. After training farmers through pond schools, Indonesian shrimp and milkfish production can increase by 30-50 percent with a smaller risk of loss," he explained.

With the associated mangrove aquatic culture (AMA) system, said Roel, his party is trying to rebuild mangrove greenbelts in river mouths and low tide zones in Indonesia. With the hope that small farmers can earn higher.

"BwNI's approach is very useful without any effort, the costs incurred for two months, five years are IDR 40 billion per village. Meanwhile, if we provide funds for mangrove rehabilitation and aquaculture rehabilitation of IDR 1.2 billion, the benefits generated will be IDR 20 billion," he said.

Roel said, doing the two efforts at the same time will produce more benefits than doing it separately.