With the issuance of the Decree of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Number 55 of 2025, the utilization of the country's rich maritime resource potential is now more directed with the presence of the Red and White Fishing Villages, also known as KNMP.
In 2025, which marks the first phase of the program implementation, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is targeting the construction of 65 KNMPs spread across various regions with a budget of Rp1.34 trillion (US$80.1 million).
Specifically in West Sumatra, the ministry is developing two KNMPs: in Katapiang Village, Padang Pariaman District, and in Padang Sarai Village, Padang City.
The Katapiang KNMP covers 4,801 households, among whom 298 individuals are fishers.
Based on mapping conducted by the ministry, the marine waters of Padang Pariaman are rich in yellowstripe scad, skipjack tuna, and black pomfret, with an annual production volume of 400 tons and a value of up to Rp6 billion.
Before government intervention, the average monthly income for local fishers was approximately Rp3.3 million (around US$197). This income subsequently rose to Rp4.2 million following the implementation of various positive policies and continuous assistance from the KKP Ministry and the regional government.
At the two KNMP sites in West Sumatra, the government is in the process of building a number of supporting facilities, including fuel stations for fishers, fish landing shelters, foundations for mobile ice plants, offices, public toilets, and biotech wastewater treatment installations.
The ministry will later provide the KNMPs with additional cold chain infrastructure, including freezing warehouses, cool boxes, refrigerated trucks, fishing vessels, fishing gear, and vessel engines.
It is also currently examining the possibility of building a dock at the Katapiang KNMP aimed at facilitating loading and unloading activities, and is expected to further accelerate connectivity for the fishers' catch.
For the development of the fishing village in Padang Pariaman District, the government has allocated up to Rp20 billion. The construction process is planned to be completed within four months, starting from its commencement in mid-October 2025.
Meanwhile, in Padang City's KNMP area, there are 300 households with 679 residents working as fishers. Data collected by the KKP Ministry shows the main commodities in the Koto Tangah waters include anchovies, skipjack tuna, and mackerel tuna.
Trian Yunanda, Expert Staff for Economic, Social, and Cultural Affairs at the ministry, stated that the government is targeting to establish 1,000 KNMPs in the long term. This target aligns with the immense potential of Indonesia's marine wealth.
Furthermore, if the program demonstrates a tangible impact, the number will continue to be increased to up to 3,000 KNMPs.
President Prabowo Subianto has instructed the KKP Ministry to continuously increase the number of KNMPs to tap the existing potential to improve the welfare of coastal communities, especially fishers.
This aligns with efforts to support the Asta Cita missions of President Prabowo's administration, particularly regarding food self-sufficiency, increasing employment, and rural development.
Yunanda explained that, in addition to making the most of Indonesia's marine potential for the welfare of fishers, the fishing villages are developed to help fishers who have been facing issues in managing their catch.
Based on the ministry's monitoring of several regions, many fishers faced issues related to the availability of block ice, which has led to the rapid spoilage of their fish, thereby affecting their sales.
In this regard, the ministry will establish ice plants with an ice slurry system, which utilizes salt water, in the KNMP areas to support fishers to have a better income.
Red and White Village Cooperatives
The fishing villages are planned to be integrated directly with another government strategic program, the Red and White Village Cooperatives. In this initiative, the cooperatives will directly manage the fishers' catch.
The government is confident that by integrating the KNMP and the Red and White Village Cooperatives, the downstreaming of marine products can improve the welfare of the community, especially fishers.
Rio Eka Putra, Head of the Red and White Village Cooperative in Katapiang Village, welcomed the KKP Ministry's initiative to develop the KNMP in the area, which is believed to be able to boost the local community's economy.
Head of the Cooperatives and SMEs Office of West Sumatra, Endrizal, affirmed that the provincial government will make efforts to optimize fishers' catch in several districts and cities through the Red and White Village Cooperatives.
All coastal regions in West Sumatra, such as West Pasaman District, Agam District, Padang Pariaman District, South Pesisir District, Mentawai Islands District, Padang City, and Pariaman City, possess vast marine potential that can be tapped through the Red and White Village Cooperatives, in accordance with President Prabowo Subianto's instruction.
Endrizal expressed optimism that if the existing potential, including capture fisheries and related sectors, is fully optimized, the eight percent economic growth target set by the President can be achieved.
The Provincial Government of West Sumatra recorded that there are 1,265 Red and White Village Cooperatives in the province, and 20 percent of them will focus on lobster, crab, fish, and rajungan or swimming crab (Portunidae).
The establishment of the KNMPs, which will be aligned with Red and White Village Cooperatives, offers new hope for equitable economic growth in coastal areas that must be jointly embraced to overcome poverty that has long been associated with fishing villages and to strengthen the rural economy.
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Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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