Revitalizing Demak’s coasts through community action and local government support

A grant project in Demak Regency in Indonesia has harnessed the enthusiasm of community groups and the local government in nurturing mangroves in the coastal village Wedung.

Demak is a scenic sea-side regency located on the northern coast of Central Java. A place of historical value in Indonesia, it was once the seat of the Demak Sultanate which played a key role in the establishment of Islam in the country.

Similar to many coastal areas around Asia, Demak’s coasts face many pressures. Infrastructure development and aquaculture has led to significant mangrove deforestation and coastal degradation. One of the biggest challenges is coastal erosion. The damage to the Demak coastline, estimated at 495.80 hectares, is attributed to the beach reclamation. The erosion negatively affects many of community-owned fishponds that are close to the shoreline, leading to the loss of livelihoods for some villagers.

Wedung is one of the villages experiencing the effects of mangrove area conversion into hectares of fishponds. But villagers in the area are keen to stop further coastal ecosystem degradation in their village. To do this, the villagers are pursuing nature-based solutions: planting mangroves under silvo-fishery method, where mangrove seedlings planted along fishpond’s dyke.

Mangrove ecosystems play a key role in coastal defense, stabilizing shorelines by trapping sediments and minimizing erosion and reducing wave damage. They also provide an effective buffer against storm surges and tsunamis. Communities also get additional benefit: mangroves, being natural breeding and feeding grounds for fish and other aquatic species, support sustainable and productive fisheries livelihoods.

The sixteen-month project in Demak, under a Mangroves for the Future grant aims to strengthen the capacity of local villagers in community-based mangrove management and mangrove-based alternative livelihoods.

The project is implemented by Lembaga Pengkajian dan Pengembangan Sumberdaya Pembangunan, Semarang (LPPSP or the Institute for Research and Improvement of Development Resources), in close coordination with the local Development Planning Agency (BAPPEDA).

Less than a year after the project commenced in 2014, the local government, through various offices, and together with partners such as MFF, has tallied a total of more than 286,000 mangroves seedlings planted in the area.

The grant project has also influenced government policies in the locality. The Mid Term Development Plan (RPJMD) of Demak until 2016 focuses on agriculture, fishery, trade and services, industrial, animal husbandry and tourism sectors. Local government has identified several areas for natural eco-tourism locations, and Wedung is considered as a potential for integrated mangrove eco-tourism.

Another impact of the project is on waste management. As most of coastal area with so many river and creek channels, domestic waste is a big challenge. Riverbanks and coasts become the community’s ‘trash bin.’ The project is therefore initiating improved waste management and training, promoting waste segregation, and is pioneering a Clean Friday program involving dozens of elementary school students promoting proper waste management. The government is also developing better waste management systems across villages in the area.

This current project, as well as other grant projects that have already concluded in Demak, shows how active involvement from local community and government agencies makes the difference, not just for short-term project achievements, but also for long-term impact.

For more information about the project, please visit the page, Introduction of silvo-fishery practice for improving the conditions of coastal communities in Tambak Gojoyo sub-village and Wedung village in Demak Regency, Indonesia