RRI.CO.ID, Sulawesi - Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN)'s collaboration with Japanese partners in developing mangrove-based silvo-aquaculture has shown promising results in supporting coastal food security. Pilot activities in South Sulawesi demonstrated that shrimp cultivated in mangrove-integrated ponds exhibited higher growth rates than those in conventional ponds.

According to Hiroshi Imae, a consultant for the Japan Indonesia Network (JIN) Corporation in Japan, these results demonstrate that integrating mangroves and aquaculture has the potential to provide ecological benefits while increasing pond productivity. This approach is considered a potential solution for strengthening food security in coastal areas.

He explained that silvo-aquaculture is an approach that integrates mangrove conservation with aquaculture activities. Through this approach, mangroves not only play a role in maintaining the quality of the coastal environment but also support pond productivity by providing habitat for various organisms that serve as natural food sources.

"Mangroves contribute to increasing the population and diversity of macrobenthos, which are beneficial for shrimp growth. Therefore, farmers can be encouraged to plant mangroves in their ponds," said Hiroshi in the 8th OceanFarm webinar titled "Silvo-Aquaculture and Its Contribution to Coastal Food Resilience," on Tuesday, 23 June 2026.

Despite showing promising results, Hiroshi believes the development of silvo-aquaculture still requires further research. He noted that the susceptibility of tiger shrimp to disease is one of the challenges in cultivation, so other aquaculture species such as milkfish and Gracilaria seaweed also need to be studied to understand the potential benefits of mangroves on their productivity.

He added that water management in silvo-aquaculture systems still requires various experiments to find the most effective model. Water management requirements can vary depending on the mangrove species used. Therefore, the integration of various approaches needs to be continuously developed.