Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Confident Red and White Fishermen's Village Will Strengthen Fisheries Downstreaming
Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono has stressed the importance of reforming the upstream fisheries sector to strengthen downstream processing and improve fishermen’s welfare. One of the Ministry’s efforts is building the Red and White Fishermen’s Village (KNMP) as an integrated fisheries ecosystem from upstream areas involving fishermen, cold chains, to connectivity with processing industries and markets.
This was stated by Minister Trenggono during his visit to a fish processing unit (UPI) in Bintan Regency, Riau Islands, PT Bintan Intan Gemilang, together with the Governor of Riau Islands Ansar Ahmad. The visit was conducted to directly assess the processing industry’s readiness in absorbing fishermen’s catches, including from KNMP areas, while strengthening the national fisheries supply chain.
“If the Red and White Fishermen’s Village runs well, I guarantee the product quality will be good because the handling chain is improved from the start. The processing industry will also more easily absorb fishermen’s catches,” said Trenggono in a written statement in Jakarta on Friday (15/5/2026).
According to him, the main challenge in the fisheries sector currently is not in the downstream or market, but in reforming the upstream sector, from production, fish handling, to strengthening the fishermen’s ecosystem.
“The issue now in fisheries is not the downstream, but reforming the upstream. Therefore, the government is reforming the upstream sector through the KNMP programme,” he added.
The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) targets building more than 1,000 Red and White Fishermen’s Villages by 2026 in various regions of Indonesia. Meanwhile, in 2025, the government has built 100 KNMP locations with an estimated absorption of 17,550 workers, where 65 initial phase locations have been completed 100 percent.
The Riau Islands is one of the strategic areas for developing the Red and White Fishermen’s Village given its archipelagic characteristics, high fisheries sector activity, and proximity to international trade routes. Several KNMP locations being developed include those in Natuna and Batam.
The KNMP concept is developed based on clusters that connect fishermen’s areas, distribution centres, fishing ports, to fish processing units and export markets. With this system, fishermen’s catches can be handled better from landing to entering the distribution and processing chain, ensuring the quality of the catches.
Trenggono emphasised that the government wants to ensure that fishery resources provide maximum benefits for local fishermen and coastal communities so that fishermen’s productivity and welfare increase.
“The Red and White Fishermen’s Village programme is a great opportunity. Regions must actively seize that opportunity so that the economic benefits are truly felt by the fishing communities,” said Trenggono.