On 21 August in Ambon, the Agency for Marine and Fisheries Human\nResources Development and Extension (BPPSDM KP) launched 16 Halal\nClinics. This move should not be viewed merely as an administrative\nceremony; the presence of these facilities for small businesses in the\nmarine and fisheries sector is a vital step in bringing coastal products\ninto formal markets with increasingly strict standards.<\/p>\n
A total of 84 fisheries extension officers have been inaugurated as\nHalal Product Assistants, with an initial target of assisting 300 MSMEs\nacross 16 regencies\/cities in seven provinces spanning Maluku and Papua.\nThis momentum is particularly crucial ahead of the mandatory halal\ncertification deadline on 18 October 2026.<\/p>\n
For micro-entrepreneurs, halal certification is more than just an\nadministrative matter. Legality and product standard certainty serve as\ngateways to wider markets, including modern retail and exports. Without\nthe ability to meet these standards, small businesses will continue to\nface informal markets, leaving their bargaining position relatively\nweak.<\/p>\n
This issue is evident in the continued dependence of some fishermen\non middlemen. Data shows that unequal economic relationships are a\nprimary reason fishermen continue to sell their catches through such\nmarketing chains. In this situation, downstreaming (hilirisasi) is not\nenough simply by building processing facilities; upstream entrepreneurs\nmust also possess the capacity to meet product standards and access\nformal markets.<\/p>\n
This is where the Halal Clinics developed by the Ministry of Marine\nAffairs and Fisheries (KKP) become significant. These facilities can be\nseen as part of MSME-scale downstreaming. Fish products that previously\nremained as fresh commodities or simple processed goods are being\nencouraged to obtain the legality and standards necessary to increase\ntheir added value. In essence, halal certification is not the end goal,\nbut rather an instrument for small businesses to move from informal\nmarkets into more modern supply chains.<\/p>\n
This approach aligns with the \u2018Asta Cita\u2019 agenda of President Prabowo\nSubianto\u2019s administration, particularly the strengthening of the\npeople\u2019s economy and the downstreaming of domestic resources. While\ndownstreaming is often discussed in the context of mining and minerals,\nthe marine and fisheries sector possesses immense potential for\ndownstreaming, especially since most players operate at the micro and\nsmall business scale. The challenge, therefore, is not just how to\nincrease production, but who will enjoy the added value from that\nproduction.<\/p>\n
Human Resources<\/p>\n
A similar issue is visible regarding human resources. At the same\nevent in Ambon, BPPSDM KP inaugurated a Bridge and Engine Simulator\nfacility at the Ambon Fisheries Training and Extension Centre. While\naddressing different needs, this facility shares the same goal:\nincreasing the capacity of the marine and fisheries community in the\neastern region.<\/p>\n
The capture fisheries sector still faces challenges regarding\nsmall-scale fleets and limited monitoring. A World Bank report, \u2018Ocean\nfor Prosperity\u2019, notes that a large portion of Indonesia\u2019s more than\n600,000 small-scale fishing vessels are unregistered and not fully\nmonitored. Simultaneously, pressure on fish resources remains a serious\nconcern.<\/p>\n
Under these conditions, strengthening the competence of vessel crews\nis a vital part of reforming the fisheries sector. The simulator is more\nthan just a technological facility; with modules for navigation, radar,\nship manoeuvring, and engine operation, it can be used to strengthen\ncrew competence and support certification for Fishing Vessel Nautical\nOfficers (ANKAPIN) and Fishing Vessel Engineering Officers\n(ATKAPIN).<\/p>\n
This step is strategic due to its location in Eastern Indonesia.\nHistorically, maritime-standard training facilities have tended to be\nconcentrated in regions that serve as economic hubs. The presence of a\nsimulator in Ambon means that access to training and certification is\nbrought closer to coastal communities in the eastern part of\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
This move also translates Indonesia\u2019s obligations under the\nInternational Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and\nWatchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel 1995 (STCW-F), ratified\nthrough Presidential Regulation Number 18 of 2019, into concrete\nregional training capacity.<\/p>\n
These two programmes in Ambon demonstrate a larger pattern. The Halal\nClinics strengthen the ability of entrepreneurs to access markets, while\nthe simulator strengthens the ability of human resources to operate\nfisheries activities more safely and professionally. Both address\ndifferent sides of the industry but meet at a single keyword:\ncapacity.<\/p>\n
A similar pattern can be seen in several other KKP programmes in\nEastern Indonesia. For instance, the \u2018Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih\u2019 (Red\nand White Fishing Village) programme aims not only to provide\ninfrastructure for fishermen but to build an economic ecosystem through\ncold storage, fisherman-specific petrol stations, cooperatives, and\nsupply chain connectivity. The initial stages of this programme have\nalready reached several areas in Papua.<\/p>\n
In the aquaculture sector, the government is developing an Integrated\nShrimp Pond Area in Waingapu, East Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, covering\napproximately 2,150 hectares. The area is projected to produce 52,800\ntonnes of shrimp per year and employ around 7,000 workers once fully\noperational. The selection of East Sumba as a model location\ndemonstrates an effort to ensure that modern aquaculture development is\nnot solely concentrated on Java.<\/p>\n
A similar trend is seen in the development of the National Salt\nIndustry Centre (K-SIGN) in Rote Ndao. The development of this area is\naimed at strengthening national salt production while reducing\ndependence on imports. Indonesia possesses a vast coastline and\nsignificant salt production potential, but has thus far not been fully\nable to convert this geographical advantage into economic strength.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bringing-added-value-to-the-east-1788246227", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }