Tropentag, September 10 - 12, 2025, Bonn "Reconciling land system changes with planetary health"

Green shrimp in Indonesia’s degraded mangroves: A sustainable ecofarm initiative

Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), School of Life Sciences and Technology (SITH), Indonesia

Abstract

Mangrove ecosystems are vital to coastal biodiversity, acting as natural buffers against climate change, nurseries for marine life, and pillars of food security. However, in regions like Batu Bara, North Sumatra, rapid deforestation and unsustainable aquaculture threaten their survival. “Green Shrimp in Indonesia’s Degraded Mangroves” proposes an innovative agroecological approach that integrates mangrove conservation with sustainable shrimp farming, fostering both ecological resilience and economic sustainability for coastal communities. Conventional shrimp farming often carries a high environmental cost, leading to mangrove deforestation and ecosystem disruption. This initiative provides a nature‑inclusive alternative by embedding shrimp enclosures within natural mangrove stands to harness their ecosystem services - enhancing water quality, nutrient cycling, and coastal protection - while ensuring high‑yield, low‑impact aquaculture. This idea builds on over a decade of research, including my BSc mangrove restoration work (2011), PhD biodiversity assessments (2018), and latest surveys (2025), which have documented critical habitat loss and socio‑economic challenges in Batu Bara. By restoring degraded mangroves and integrating them into a circular aquaculture system, the model strengthens the link between agriculture, biodiversity, and food security while supporting coastal livelihoods. It applies ecosystem‑based management to optimise sustainable shrimp farming, engages local farmers and fishers in agroecological training, and promotes eco‑certified shrimp production through improved market access and investment strategies. Collaboration with my institution, the School of Life Sciences and Technology (SITH) at ITB - a leading center for developing life sciences and biotechnology to support sustainable bioindustries through biodiversity utilisation - will advance scientific innovation, policy integration, and market development for sustainable aquaculture. Key focuses include scaling nature‑based farming and mobilising impact investment. The Alumni Training Seminar and Tropentag 2025 will help refine this concept, foster partnerships, and drive agricultural transformation in tropical coastal regions.

Keywords: Fishery, mangroves

Contact Address: Jeprianto Manurung, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), School of Life Sciences and Technology (SITH), Jl. Ganesa 10, 40132 Bandung, Indonesia, e-mail: jeprianto.mitb.ac.id