Community-based Spirulina Farming in Indonesia

Despite the uncertainties and restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, activities under the Seagrass Ecosystem Services Project are getting underway. The project is led by the CMS Dugong MOU Secretariat as part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). 

The Indonesian partner, YAPEKA has been working to launch spirulina farming as a business model for coastal communities in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The project relies on the technical expertise of EnerGaia, a company that specialises in community-based spirulina farming. The goal is to implement a sustainable business model that improves local livelihoods while directly benefitting seagrass conservation.

With the COVID-19 pandemic restricting travel in most parts of the world, the pilot phase of this project has been extended and YAPEKA has adapted to coordinate activities from home. A separate farm in Yogjakarta is now being developed and will act as a training site for YAPEKA and partner communities. This extended pilot phase is also giving YAPEKA the opportunity to develop robust systems to link the business model to conservation: the Sulawesi farm will be regulated by agreements that directly allocate a portion of generated income into the management and conservation of local seagrass meadows, promoting healthy and resilient coastal ecosystems.

Further details can be found in the attached IKI Newsletter for Indonesia.

 

YAPEKA and EnerGaia surveying potential land for the spirulina farm in Yogjakarta © YAPEKA

Last updated on 08 July 2020