Govt Accelerates Fishermen’s Village Development in East Nusa Tenggara

RRI.CO.ID, Kupang - The Indonesian government is accelerating the establishment of Red and White Fishermen's Villages (KNMP) at two locations in Kupang City, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), to strengthen the coastal economy. This program is part of the national strategic agenda for the marine and fisheries sector.

The Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has designated NTT as a priority area for the development of integrated fishing villages. So far, seven KNMP locations have been built in the province, with expansion scheduled to continue until 2026.

Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, emphasized that accelerating the project in NTT is a special concern for the government. He stated that KNMP development is a strategy to strengthen the coastal community's economy, in line with Prabowo Subianto's directive to build the economy from the bottom up.

“The target is not just physical development, but community welfare. Coastal areas must become centers of sustainable fisheries production and industry,” said Minister Trenggono in Kupang on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Minister Trenggono instructed the Director General of Captive Fisheries to immediately follow up on the proposed development in Lasiana and Oesapa villages. The Kupang City Administration has provided plots of land for both locations.

The Mayor of Kupang, Christian Widodo, confirmed that the land in the two villages is “clean and clear.” The administration has been declared complete and verified by the Ministry’s team.

“We request that this project be prioritized. All requirements that are needed to support acceleration are ready,” Christian said.

He explained that Lasiana has around 900 fishermen, an area of 9.3 hectares, and a potential annual production of 350 tons of fish. However, damage to equipment due to disasters has prevented maximum productivity.

In addition to KNMP, the Ministry is promoting the salt industry in Rote and other potential areas in NTT. The government aims to cease salt imports by the end of 2027 and expand modern shrimp and seaweed cultivation to boost exports and the regional trade surplus. ***