Seminar on "Achievements of the Fisheries Component of the ADB financed ETESP and Lessons Learned"
At the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Jakarta
Opening Statement
by
Pieter Smidt
Head, ADB's Extended Mission in Sumatera
15 June 2009
ADB is proud to have been among the five largest partners who joined in the reconstruction of Aceh and Nias. Within ADB's $294.5 million support channeled through the Earthquake and Tsunami Emergency Support Project (ETESP), fisheries has been an important component with a total allocation of $28 million. Of this amount more than 90% has been disbursed as of to date.
ETESP Fisheries has made a major contribution to the recovery of the fisheries sector within the overall reconstruction program for Aceh and Nias. Its successful completion is a commendable achievement considering the chaotic, post-disaster situation and the wide scope of ETESP Fisheries together with its built-in social, environmental, financial and governance aspects.
This achievement has been possible through the close links between BRR and its Satker with the main sector stakeholders including the provincial and district DKPs, Panglima Laot, FAO, IFC, and WWF. NACA played a key role by providing crucial implementation support.
By design, ETESP Fisheries focussed on the small fishers and fish farmers, not on large-scale industrial fisheries. It was implemented in 11 districts between April 2005 to June 2009. ETESP fisheries has also contributed to the rehabilitation of damaged coastal natural resources, including mangroves and other coastal forest habitats, associated with fisheries and aquaculture. The overall aim was to build back better to reduce poverty in the coastal areas and this has been realized in most of the ETESP communities.
I like to take this opportunity to highlight three innovative approaches introduced through ETESP Fisheries.
Community Empowerment - As much as $ 12 million - 43% of the total fisheries allocation - has been channeled through community contracts: for tambak rehabilitation, agro inputs, fishing gear, etc. This was realized through the community facilitation provided with assistance of Bina Swadaya and NACA and - most importantly - of course by the communities themselves. Overall, the experience with community contracting has been positive. Yes, there have been some issues of inappropriate use of funds but these were only in small numbers.
As also shown under other ETESP components, group planning, community contracting with phased disbursement based on results have clearly advantages compared to the contractor implementation approach. It generally results in higher quality with lower costs, allows flexibility and the adoption of local designs, enhances ownership and sustainability. The direct funding to communities generates immediate local level employement, provides better opportunities for women to participate and also results in less leakage.
Technological Innovation - Under ETESP's fisheries community-based sonar mapping of the the sea bed of the coastal waters of North and Northwest Aceh was initiated and is being expanded by the Panglima Laot. Captains of vessels equiped with this sonar equipment are now sharing the sonar data, and - what is equally important - fish catch data with Panglima Laot. The ETESP experience has shown that this is an effective and low-cost approach that not only improves the efficiency of the fishing efforts but also provides valuable information for better resource management which involves the fishers themselves. So the introduction of this technology through Panglima Laot has started a process of trust and partnership building within the fishers community and also between Panglima Laot and the local authorities. The donation of communication equipment to the Marine Police is a fine example of an equal partnership relationship.
Livelihoods Services Centers (LSCs) - this is the third innovation I like to highlight. LSCs are places where all sector stakeholders and community members can meet and exchange ideas. These centers are not owned and managed by the DINAS but by kelompoks of fish farmers or by Panglima Laot. LSCs are designed for a two-way flow of information. Local communities now have access to information - on and offline - interactive computer facilities and use of mobile phones for information on market prices, best management practices and business linkages. Traders and service providers - Government ones and private sector ones - can bring their services at the doorsteps of the coastal communities. In terms of Government service providers, I understand that the Aceh Aquaculture Communications Centre at BBAP Ujung Batee is the first Government service provider giving information over internet and phone to farmers about best management practices and disease prevention.
ETESP fisheries has without doubt contributed to the rehabilitation of the fisheries sector in Aceh and also in Nias. Valuable experiences have been gained with innovatives approaches. Many small fishers and fish farmer communities have become active partners in the development of their sector. With such development, the Government can focus on providing services that are demanded by the communities - steering away from a top-down approach and creating the legal environment for fisheries associations and LSCs to build supply networks to increase income to communities and the local economy.
We hope that today's seminar will be successful in sharing the ETESP fisheries experience and that it will contribute to replicating ETESP innovations in other parts of Indonesia.
Thank you.
Media Center 
Top of page
