Pond farmers in North Kalimantan empowered through nature-based innovation

The Return of the Blue Gold: How Microbes are Rescuing North Kalimantan’s Shrimp Farmers

For decades, the coastal villages of Bulungan Regency were synonymous with “Blue Gold.” Between 1990 and 2010, the black tiger shrimp harvests were legendary, with single cycles yielding a staggering ton of bounty.

But then, the tide turned. Yields plummeted to a heartbreaking 15 kilograms. Prosperity was replaced by a cycle of debt, as farmers were forced to borrow just to afford the synthetic pesticides and fertilizers that were, ironically, part of the problem.

Today, a new wave of hope is crashing against these shores and it’s powered by nature, not chemicals.

The Secret Ingredient: “MoL”

Through the NASCLIM (Nature-Based Solutions for Climate-Smart Sustainable Livelihoods) program, farmers have traded their chemical jugs for fermentation vats. They call it MoL (Mikroorganisme Lokal).

MoL is a homegrown “probiotic cocktail” for the earth. By fermenting local organic waste fish scraps, swallow droppings, bran, and stale rice farmers are creating a solution teeming with beneficial microbes.

How MoL transforms a pond:

• Decomposes Waste: Rapidly breaks down organic matter that otherwise chokes the pond.
• Boosts Nutrition: Increases nutrient availability naturally.
• Feeds the Ecosystem: Stimulates the growth of plankton the ultimate natural shrimp feed.
• Restores Balance: Improves water quality and soil fertility without the toxic runoff of synthetics.

From Skepticism to “Miracle” Harvests

Change didn’t happen overnight. “In the past, the harvest met our needs; recently, it didn’t even cover the pesticides,” recalls Ramsyah, a local farmer. Many were initially wary of using “fermented waste” on their precious stock.

Then came the pioneers:

• In Liagu Village: Farmer Jony Lee watched his neighbors’ shrimp succumb to disease while his own thrived. The secret? His water had returned to a healthy greenish-brown hue thanks to MoL.
• In Salimbatu Village: Bohari experimented with a mix of shrimp heads and molasses. The result was a “miracle” harvest 100 kilograms of spotted shrimp appeared in a single cycle, a species he hadn’t seen in his ponds for years.

“When I lifted the net and saw so many spotted shrimps… I was incredibly happy,” Bohari shared. “It was an unexpected blessing.”

Protecting the Roots of Prosperity

The NASCLIM program, supported by the Government of Canada and the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry, recognizes a hard truth: you cannot have healthy shrimp without healthy mangroves.

Pond productivity failed because the mangrove “buffer” was destroyed. Now, the mission is twofold:

1. Protect: 1,800 hectares of existing mangrove forest.
2. Rehabilitate: 2,000 hectares of degraded coastline across six villages.

A Blueprint for the Future

This initiative is a masterclass in Nature-Based Solutions (NbS). It proves that when science meets local wisdom, the environment doesn’t just recover it flourishes. By empowering farmers to become scientists of their own land, North Kalimantan is proving that the path to economic wealth is paved with ecological health. The “Blue Gold” is coming back, and this time, it’s here to stay.

source:
https://gggi.org/pond-farmers-in-north-kalimantan-empowered-through-nature-based-innovation/