Bambang Pamungkas
Jakarta, Indonesia – In a decisive push to redefine marine resource management and elevate coastal livelihoods, the Republic of Indonesia has forcefully reiterated its unwavering commitment to empowering small-scale fisheries. This national pledge took center stage during the 37th Session of the Food and Agriculture Organization Committee on Fisheries (FAO COFI 37), held in Rome, Italy. Representing the archipelago, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono addressed global delegates, outlining a comprehensive vision where environmental conservation and grassroots economic prosperity go hand in hand.
The high-level diplomatic engagement highlights Indonesia’s strategic positioning as the world’s largest archipelagic state. With millions of citizens dependent on marine yields for their daily sustenance and economic survival, the nation’s policies carry profound implications not only for Southeast Asia but for global marine biodiversity and food security frameworks. By anchoring its domestic strategies to international standards, Jakarta seeks to establish a benchmark for how developing island and coastal nations can balance ecological preservation with socio-economic development.
The Core Significance of Small-Scale Fisheries in Indonesia
To understand the gravity of Indonesia’s international pledges, one must examine the socio-economic structure of the nation’s domestic maritime sector. Approximately 90 percent of all Indonesian fishers operate within the small-scale category. These artisanal and traditional fishers form the backbone of the country’s domestic capture fisheries production, supplying vital protein to local markets and driving grassroots economic activity across thousands of remote islands.
Despite their monumental contribution to national food security, small-scale fishers have historically faced structural vulnerabilities, including limited access to modern capital, volatile market chains, infrastructure deficits, and heightened exposure to climate change impacts. Recognizing these systemic challenges, the Indonesian government has shifted from treating small-scale fisheries as an informal sector to placing them at the very heart of national maritime policy. This paradigm shift ensures that conservation mandates do not inadvertently penalize traditional communities, but rather empower them to become active stewards of their marine environment.
Policy Frameworks and the National Plan of Action
Indonesia’s dedication to its coastal workforce is anchored by robust legislative and administrative instruments. Foremost among these is the formulation and execution of the National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries (NPOA-SSF). This strategic roadmap serves as the domestic translation of the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines).
Globally, only a select group of FAO member states have successfully formulated and operationalized a dedicated national plan of action of this caliber. Within the Asian region, Indonesia and the Philippines stand out as pioneers that have formally established and implemented an NPOA-SSF. This distinction underscores Jakarta’s proactive governance style, moving beyond rhetorical commitments to institutionalize accountability and long-term planning.
The NPOA-SSF provides a multi-sectoral framework designed to improve tenure rights, ensure equitable resource allocation, enhance post-harvest practices, minimize food loss, promote gender equality within fishing communities, and safeguard marine ecosystems from overexploitation. By aligning domestic laws with these international guidelines, Indonesia demonstrates that rigorous resource management can be successfully harmonized with human rights and poverty alleviation.
Global Recognition at the Small-Scale Fisheries Summit
Indonesia’s progressive policy stance did not go unnoticed by the international community. Prior to the formal convening of the FAO COFI 37 plenary, the nation’s initiatives earned widespread praise during the Small-Scale Fisheries Summit, which took place on September 6, 2026. Representatives from various member states, international developmental agencies, and prominent non-governmental organizations lauded Jakarta for its comprehensive approach to artisanal fisheries.
During the summit, international observers highlighted how Indonesia successfully bridges the gap between high-level multilateral agreements and localized community needs. The recognition affirms that developing nations can exercise leadership in global environmental governance, offering viable models that transcend traditional North-South policy divides. Observers noted that Indonesia’s transparent reporting and willingness to share technical expertise regarding NPOA-SSF implementation have fostered valuable South-South cooperation.
Translating Policy into Action: The Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih Initiative
Addressing the FAO COFI plenary on Monday, September 7, 2026, Minister Trenggono emphasized that progressive policies and strategic frameworks are meaningless unless their benefits cascade down to individual households. Government interventions must tangibly alter the daily realities of coastal communities. To achieve this, Indonesia has moved aggressively to implement targeted grassroots infrastructure and community development programs, most notably through the Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih (KNMP) initiative.
The KNMP program represents an integrated, holistic model of rural coastal development. Unlike conventional government aid projects that focus exclusively on physical construction, the KNMP framework operates on multiple fronts simultaneously. It encompasses the modernization of basic infrastructure, the strengthening of local institutional capacities and fishermen’s cooperatives, the expansion of direct market access, the optimization of value chains for marine commodities, and the active mobilization of community-led marine conservation efforts.
"KNMP is a prime example of how Indonesia’s commitment to small-scale fisheries is translated from national policy into concrete action at the community level," Minister Trenggono stated in an official release issued on Friday, September 11, 2026. By addressing infrastructure deficits alongside financial literacy and cooperative management, the program aims to break the cycle of poverty that has historically plagued artisanal fishing families.
Scaling Up: Ambitious Targets for 2025 and 2029
The rollout of the Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih initiative is proceeding at a rapid pace, backed by strong political will and sustained budgetary allocation from the central government. In 2025, the administration successfully constructed 100 KNMP units across diverse geographical zones, spanning western, central, and eastern Indonesian waters. These pilot locations served as testbeds for refining the integrated development model, incorporating feedback from local leaders and marine experts.
Building upon the success of the initial rollout, the Indonesian government has established an ambitious expansion target. The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries aims to scale up the development of KNMP units to reach 5,000 coastal villages by the year 2029. This massive scaling strategy requires seamless coordination between central ministries, local government units, private sector partners, and banking institutions to ensure sustainable financing and maintenance of the established facilities.
Minister Trenggono noted that the vast scale and unique methodology of the KNMP program offer valuable lessons for the global community. As nations worldwide grapple with the dual crises of declining fish stocks and rural poverty, Indonesia’s experiential data provides a practical blueprint for transforming coastal settlements into resilient, self-sustaining economic hubs.
Alignment with FAO’s Blue Transformation Agenda
Indonesia’s domestic initiatives resonate deeply with broader multilateral frameworks, particularly the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Blue Transformation agenda. During the high-level debates at FAO COFI 37, Minister Trenggono formally expressed Indonesia’s strong support for the Blue Transformation framework, noting its profound synergy with Indonesia’s national Blue Economy strategy.
The FAO Blue Transformation initiative aims to accelerate the transition toward more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable aquatic food systems. It focuses on sustainably intensifying aquaculture production, effectively managing all fisheries through science-based stock assessments, and upgrading value chains to minimize waste and maximize socio-economic returns.
In parallel, Indonesia’s national Blue Economy policy—championed vigorously over recent years—prioritizes the ecological health of marine ecosystems as the prerequisite for long-term economic growth. By curbing illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, expanding marine protected areas, regulating coastal zoning, and prioritizing small-scale fishers, Indonesia proves that environmental protection and economic expansion are not mutually exclusive, but rather mutually reinforcing pillars of modern statecraft.
Broader Implications for Global Marine Governance
The active participation of Indonesia in FAO COFI 37 carries significant analytical implications for the future of international marine governance. As global seafood demand continues to rise in tandem with population growth, coastal ecosystems face unprecedented anthropogenic pressures, ranging from overfishing and habitat destruction to ocean warming and acidification.
In this turbulent global context, Indonesia’s policy trajectory offers three vital takeaways for international policymakers:
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Inclusivity as a Conservation Strategy: Environmental regulations that alienate traditional resource users often fail due to non-compliance and social resistance. By integrating small-scale fishers into formal governance structures through instruments like the NPOA-SSF, Indonesia harnesses local traditional knowledge to enforce conservation goals organically.
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Economic Modernization Without Displacement: Through integrated development models like the KNMP, vulnerable communities are given the tools to move up the value chain—processing their catches locally, accessing digital markets, and retaining a larger share of economic profits—rather than remaining trapped in subsistence-level poverty.
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Multilateral Leadership from the Global South: Indonesia demonstrates that developing archipelagic nations can take the intellectual and practical lead in shaping global fisheries standards, shifting the paradigm from passive compliance to active standard-setting.
Conclusion: A Unified Vision for the Oceans
As the 37th Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries concludes, Indonesia’s delegations return home with renewed validation of their domestic maritime policies. The integration of national strategic planning through the NPOA-SSF, coupled with grassroots implementation via the Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih program, positions Indonesia as a global leader in sustainable fisheries management.
By proving that the protection of marine ecosystems can successfully march in lockstep with the upliftment of coastal livelihoods, Indonesia has set a high standard for maritime nations worldwide. The country’s ongoing journey offers a beacon of hope for millions of small-scale fishers across the globe, demonstrating that through political will, international cooperation, and community-centric development, a truly sustainable and prosperous blue future is within reach.
