Indonesia targets 5,000 fishermen villages to boost coastal economy

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan said the government is accelerating the development of 5,000 Red and White Fishermen's Villages (KNMP) through the end of 2029 to strengthen fishermen's bargaining power and improve their welfare.

He said the KNMP initiative aims to strengthen the coastal economy by providing facilities across the fishing value chain, from fishing operations and catch storage to fish processing and marketing.

"We must accelerate equality, prosperity, and progress in this sector. Therefore, priority programs are being fast-tracked, including the construction of 5,000 fishing villages by the end of 2029," Hasan remarked on Tuesday.

He assessed that the lack of supporting facilities weakens fishermen's bargaining power, forcing them to sell their catch immediately before its quality deteriorates. Through the KNMP program, the government aims to strengthen the fishing business ecosystem by integrating fishing activities with facilities for storage, processing, and marketing.

The government also aims to ensure that fishermen are not forced to sell their catch at low prices due to limited storage capacity, while expanding their access to wider markets.

Hasan said the KNMP sites would be equipped with facilities such as fish auction sites, boat access points, cold storage warehouses, workshops, ice plants, and dedicated fuel stations for fishermen (SPBN).

In addition to fisheries infrastructure, he said institutional strengthening through cooperatives is also being prioritized to expand market access and enable fishermen to sell their catch to different parts of Indonesia.

According to Hasan, the government aims to raise the Fishermen's Exchange Rate (NTN) to 120 by 2027 as part of efforts to improve the welfare of coastal communities. He compared fishermen with farmers, whose exchange rate has reached around 129, stressing the need to increase support for the fisheries sector.

Statistics Indonesia (BPS) previously recorded the national Farmers' Exchange Rate (NTP) at 129.19 in August 2026, up 1.05 percent from the previous month.

Meanwhile, the NTN stood at 109.04, increasing 0.50 percent from 108.49 in July 2026.

BPS noted that the increase in the NTN was primarily driven by commodities such as mackerel tuna, Indian mackerel, marine shrimp, and anchovies, which raised the price index of goods sold by fishermen.

The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) previously constructed 100 KNMPs in 2025 and plans to develop 1,269 locations in 2026 with a budget of approximately Rp10 trillion (US$551 million), as part of the government's target to establish 5,000 fishermen's villages by the end of 2029.

One KNMP in Sorue Jaya, Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi, shipped eight tons of export-quality fish to other regions in August 2026 while still in the trial phase. The village was supported by cold storage facilities, an ice factory, and a jetty.

Hasan believes that providing supporting facilities and expanding market access are key to strengthening the economic position of coastal communities and improving fishermen's welfare.

Related news: Prabowo targets 1,386 Red and White Fishermen Villages by end-2026

Translator: Aria Ananda, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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