KBRN, Jakarta: The Japanese government has allocated funding of USD 1.5 million (approximately IDR 24.6 billion) to improve the welfare of Indonesia’s small-scale fishers. This funding is provided through a collaborative project between the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (KKP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The project, named SeaBLUE, was launched at the KKP Office in Jakarta on Thursday, June 19, 2025, and will target more than 1,600 small-scale fishers in Morotai, North Maluku, and Tanimbar, Maluku.

Ueda Hajime, the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia Economic and Development Section Head, explained that efforts to improve the welfare of coastal fishers and promote sustainable local economic development through effective utilization of marine resources remain a major challenge for Indonesia. Additionally, maintaining a stable food supply is also an urgent issue that must be addressed.

At the same time, the development of downstream processing and promotion of high value-added product distribution to other islands is also very important.

“Therefore, the Japanese government has decided to support this very important project through financial contributions from our supplementary budget,” said Ueda as quoted by antaranews.com.

Japan’s support includes capacity building, provision of electric boats, and environmentally friendly cold storage, which are expected to help coastal communities improve their livelihoods in a practical and sustainable way.

The Japanese government is also complementing the SeaBLUE project with the construction of fishing ports, markets, and cooling facilities at the same locations, which are currently being carried out by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

“The Embassy of Japan remains fully committed to strengthening cooperation with Indonesia in the fisheries and maritime sectors. We sincerely hope to receive continued support from all stakeholders involved in this important initiative,” said Ueda.

Also present at the SeaBLUE launch, UNDP Indonesia’s Deputy Resident Representative Sujala Pant said that UNDP Indonesia places great emphasis on human empowerment as the center of change.

Sujala Pant noted that the fisheries sector in Indonesia plays a very important role in Indonesia’s sustainable and inclusive development, contributing more than 80 percent of the country’s total fishery production.

“However, about 11 percent of those working in the fisheries sector still live below the poverty line, and this figure is slightly higher in remote areas, including the locations where we will work, such as in the Tanimbar Islands Regency,” she revealed.

She explained that for UNDP, technology and infrastructure are not enough without investment in the capacity and potential of local human resources, especially women and coastal communities, who are the main drivers of blue economy transformation.

“This intervention is designed not only to increase productivity and reduce emissions but also to expand opportunities for the entire community, especially women who are the backbone of this core activity,” she said. ***