Wave of Hope from the Coast of Lamongan (Indonesia)

Описание: On the coast of Lamongan in East Java province, Indonesia, small waves clap against the edges of quiet ponds, carrying with them old stories and new hopes. Here, life grows from salt water—and from the tireless hands of coastal families who never stop working.

Across 600 hectares of coastal land, only a small portion has been cultivated. Yet beneath the calm surface lies extraordinary potential. In these ponds swim Cantang grouper—high-value fish that are becoming a symbol of the rising blue economy in Lamongan.

“I used to go to sea every day as a fisherman. But with the API support program, I was able to take part in developing fish cultivation. We chose grouper farming because the market demand is high. Our ponds are close to the beach, and it’s easy to get feed from fellow fishermen,” shares one local fisherman about his journey.

From a small village, a big idea was born. MFM Lamongan (Metro Marine Fish), a member of the Aliansi Petani Indonesia (API), came forward with innovation. With funding support of USD 60,000 from the APFP-FO4A program, which is implemented in Indonesia by API, MFM Lamongan strengthened its marketing systems and improved production capacity.

With this support, MFM Lamongan introduced simple, affordable, and effective technology that works for both people and nature. The support helped modernize operations, expand outreach, and increase efficiency.

MFM now manages 23 active ponds. From 71,000 seeds, they harvested 19 tons of grouper. Domestic sales reached 2.63 billion rupiah.

The coastal economy is now beating stronger. New jobs are emerging. Incomes are rising. The spirit of mutual cooperation—gotong royong—is growing once again.

Seven hundred fishermen now sell low-value “rucah” fish as feed. Fifty-one farmers receive profit shares. A revenue-sharing system ensures that prosperity is shared among all who are involved. Young people work as technicians. Women are involved at every stage of the process—preparing feed, managing finances, supporting operations.

“This helps us earn additional income for our daily needs and for our children’s education,” shares one of the local women involved in the enterprise.

As the secretary of the initiative explains, “Lamongan’s coastal area is a strategic location for grouper cultivation. Feed is affordable, and demand is high. Compared to other fish farming, grouper offers greater advantages. Normally, they are harvested at eight months, with average earnings between 60 and 100 million rupiah.”

MFM remains protecting the environment while opening opportunities for future coastal generations.