YKAN Holds Workshops for Teon Nila Serua Community in Central Maluku

Masohi, Central Maluku (ANTARA) - The Nature Conservancy Indonesia (YKAN) held several environmental workshops for the Teon Nila Serua (TNS) community in Central Maluku on Friday, as part of the Kor’a Inasua Festival at the TNS Subdistrict Field in Waipia, Central Maluku, on 10-11 April 2026.

The workshops covered financial literacy, Marine Conservation Areas, and a presentation from the Ambon Drug and Food Supervisory Agency (Balai POM).

YKAN’s Community and Product Development Consultant, Indah Syahidah Fitroh, said the financial literacy workshop targeted a newly formed women’s group in TNS. Around 60 participants learned about group business financial literacy as preparation for future entrepreneurship.

Products made from inasua, a fermented fish with salt typical of Teon Nila Serua, offer opportunities for the women’s group in future business ventures.

“That’s why one of the activities in this series is a competition for inasua creations, which is expected to produce products that can be continued as businesses by the women in TNS,” Indah told ANTARA in Waipia, Central Maluku, on Friday.

In the Marine Conservation Areas workshop, the women received basic conservation training related to coastal ecosystems. They were also given material on the life cycle chains of various fish species in Teon Nila Serua.

“The mothers trained as participants in this session are very important because they are closest to their children to convey or connect information related to the importance of conservation areas,” said YKAN Marine Conservation Area Manager Irwanto.

From the Ambon Drug and Food Supervisory Agency (Balai POM), the community received material on food safety so that this cultural heritage local product can be distributed widely in the future.

“Our presence here is to assist so that the products already produced can have market value, not just consumed by TNS residents but hopefully can go global and even reach exports with guaranteed quality,” explained Head of Balai POM Ambon, Tamran Ismail.

YKAN’s Marine Programme Director, Muhammad Ilman, said inasua is a unique fishery product because it can extend fish shelf life, thus automatically adding value. As a result, residents do not need to catch excessive amounts of fish to gain economic value.

“This is usually one step to start conservation, namely increasing the economic value of products so that the volume does not need to be taken too much,” Ilman said.

The Kor’a Inasua Festival aims to preserve the centuries-old traditional food processing. Inasua represents local wisdom in supporting food security.

On 11 April, Kor’a Inasua will close with a feast of consuming inasua, the Teon Nila Serua community’s style of fermented fish, together.