Minister Trenggono Joins Independence Day Ceremony with Coastal Communities

RRI.CO.ID, Konawe - Indonesia's Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, joined fishermen and coastal communities in commemorating Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day at the Sorue Jaya Red-and-White Fishermen’s Village (KNMP), in Konawe, Southeast Sulawesi, on Monday August 17, 2026. The ceremony, themed “A Sovereign, Just and Prosperous Indonesia,” was held solemnly and included prayers for communities in East Nusa Tenggara affected by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake on August 15.

He said Indonesia’s independence must be accompanied by greater efforts to ensure that development benefits reach fishing communities across the country. “After 81 years of independence, there are still fishermen who have not fully enjoyed the benefits of development and improved welfare, and this is a challenge we must address,” he said.

According to the Minister, improving fishermen’s welfare must go hand in hand with strengthening the fisheries sector as a source of national protein and livelihoods for coastal communities. He said the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries is therefore prioritizing integrated fisheries facilities in coastal areas through the national priority program, the Red-and-White Fishermen’s Village.

The KNMP program is designed to increase productivity and added value, expand market access, and help fishermen move toward more competitive and sustainable businesses. “If farmers need irrigation to increase productivity, fishermen need proper docks, fish landing facilities, cold-chain facilities, cold storage, ice plants, and other basic production infrastructure,” Trenggono explained.

Infrastructure provided at the Sorue Jaya KNMP, including cold storage, portable ice plants, fish landing shelters, and a dock, has already contributed to higher fisheries productivity. Around eight tons of fish caught by local fishermen have been shipped to other cities, with some of the products meeting export-quality standards.

Trenggono said the achievement demonstrates that integrated support for infrastructure, production, and market access can increase the added value of fisheries products while creating greater opportunities to improve fishermen’s livelihoods. The program is particularly important for Sorue Jaya, where around 90 percent of residents depend on the fisheries sector for their livelihoods.

“We want fishing villages to become new centers of economic growth and provide tangible benefits for coastal communities,” Trenggono said. The government aims to make fishing villages more productive and competitive by strengthening facilities and connecting fishermen with wider markets.

The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries built 100 KNMP sites in 2025 and is developing 1,269 more in 2026, with a target of establishing 5,000 fishing villages across Indonesia by the end of 2029. The Independence Day commemoration in Sorue Jaya also featured the distribution of 4,000 packages of fisheries products and basic necessities, school supplies for 45 elementary school students, the planting of 17 pule trees, an MSME bazaar, and local cultural performances involving students and fishermen’s children.