Govt ensures local jobs in Waingapu shrimp farm project
The national strategic project worth Rp7.2 trillion (approximately US$423 million) is estimated to be able to create thousands of jobs for the local residents and improve the welfare of coastal communities.
Head of the ministry’s Marine and Fisheries Extension and Human Resources Development Agency, I Nyoman Radiarta, stated in a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday that the ministry will ensure local workers play a key role in the program.
“We are ensuring the preparation of the local workforce so that they can contribute. We are heavily focused on human resource development, particularly for East Sumba residents who lack prior experience,” he said.
In this regard, he continued, the ministry will provide specialized training lasting 12–16 months.
According to the ministry’s initial studies, the integrated shrimp farm has the potential to employ approximately 8,820 local workers.
Furthermore, the ministry estimates that the construction and operational phases could reduce poverty by up to 55 percent and improve the welfare of around 35,820 people, including the workers’ families.
The ministry’s Director General of Aquaculture, Tb Haeru Rahayu, added that the shrimp farm in Waingapu is designed as a pilot model for modern, sustainable farming through the implementation of best aquaculture practices.
“We adopt SOPs based on best practices, covering everything from water intake and reservoir processing to pond management and wastewater treatment plant management, ensuring there is no negative impact on the environment,” he said.
He explained that the integrated shrimp farm model is developed from the previous farm model in Kebumen, Central Java, which is still estate-based and not yet thoroughly integrated.
He further said that the farm in Waingapu has been upgraded to an integrated area to ensure production sustainability while creating job opportunities for the local community.
The Waingapu shrimp farming zone is located in Palakahembi Village and Watumbaka Village, Pandawal Sub-district, East Sumba.
Spanning approximately 2,150 hectares with 1,361 hectares of developed land, the Waingapu Integrated Shrimp Farm (ISF) is projected to produce 52,000 tons of shrimp annually.
As of now, construction at the site remains limited to individual ponds. The latest documentation, dated March 31, 2023, shows that heavy machinery is already operating on-site.
The Indonesian government has set a target that the project will be completed in three years.
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Translator: Shofi Ayudiana, Raka Adji