The 26 December tsunami caused widespread devastation of tambak-based aquaculture on the west and north east coast of Aceh, Indonesia. 'Tambak' is the commonly used Indonesian term for brackishwater aquaculture ponds used for fish and shrimp production. More than 20,000 ha of tambaks were put out of production and since the disaster there has been insignificant redevelopment of the industry. Over 40,000 people were thought to be directly employed in the aquaculture industry before the tsunami and most have no alternative sources of income.
Thus restoration of the industry is a high priority but efforts at redevelopment have been thwarted by a lack of local expertise to tackle the scale of the reconstruction effort and address environmental and engineering limitations on redevelopment. In particular, technical expertise is desperately needed to address soil problems and to ensure that the reconstruction of tambaks, dykes and canals follow sound engineering and environmental principles. Acid sulfate soils, sandy soils, disease risk, poor water quality and contaminated sediments all pose significant risk to the industry.
The main objective of this project is to provide immediate and ongoing technical support to the tambak redevelopment activities with a particular emphasis on building technical capacity within the Regional Brackishwater Aquaculture Development Centre (RBADC) at Ujung Batee in partnership with the Aceh Aquaculture Rehabilitation Project (AARP), developing technical expertise within District Dinas Perikanan (Bureau of Fisheries) to implement district-level technical extension teams, and to provide direct technical support to NGOs and farmers involved in the reconstruction effort. District-level technical extension teams will be trained and resourced to undertake work on soil assessment and remediation, the redesign of tambaks and canals, spatial planning of the redevelopment and promotion of best management practices and alternative farming systems for severely degraded environments unsuitable for intensive monoculture.
The project has continued to deliver a program of technical capacity building-based workshops at the Centre for Brackishwater Aquaculture Development (known as Balai Budidaya Air Payau). BBAP staff are now skilled in soil assessment, soil remediation, pond engineering and pond management, and have applied these skills to collaborative French Red Cross, GTZ, FAO and ADB-funded projects. Training in alternative farming practices for severely degraded ponds has also been provided. The training program is based on the principles of a 'train the trainer' approach to enable BBAP staff to train staff from other MMAF agencies and international programs operating in Aceh. Trained staff who have passed competency tests have participated in extension roadshows to train district Dinas Perikanan (Bureau of Fisheries), NGO staff and farmers. The community and agency-based training activities have been undertaken in collaboration with Component 2 of the Aceh Aquaculture Rehabilitation Project (AARP) funded by AusAid and ACIAR (FIS/2006/002).
During 2007/2008 the project conducted two 4-day training workshops at BBAP as well as two 1-day refresher workshops on soil assessment, soil remediation and pond engineering. Workshop participants also developed their skills in hydrological measurements, surveying, farm planning and dyke and pond design. BBAP staff have also participated in one-on-one training during soil mapping activities conducted by the Research Institute for Coastal Aquaculture (RICA) and Gadjah Mada University (GMU). The field-based training focuses on soil assessment, surveying, tidal measurements, the redesign of canals, ponds and dykes, and the collection of geospatial data for map production.
The project team at BBAP was revised to include new staff. The team is now divided into core field and laboratory team members and supporting staff. Core team members are also responsible for community extension activities. The AARP-funded laboratories are now close to completion; the environmental laboratory will be equipped for soil analyses in 2008. BBAP laboratory staff will undertake further training at RICA in Maros, and will complete their analytical training program at BBAP once the laboratories are fully equipped. The environmental laboratory will provide a soil assessment service for farmers and agencies involved in the rehabilitation programs. Basic soil assessment will be provided at farms using the AARP-funded mobile laboratory. The BBAP team is developing a workplan to assess soils and provide technical and management advice to farmers at selected areas on the north east coast. Field-based training of farmers will be conducted at two AARP-funded pond demonstration sites.
A recent impact assessment of ACIAR's fisheries program in Indonesia recommended the expansion of the training program to deliver similar skill building workshops to other Technical Implementation Units (TIUs). A project variation to deliver technical training to 4 other TIUs was approved in May 2008 and the training program will commence in August.
The research support component of the project has continued to characterise and map soils and aquaculture ponds in the rehabilitation areas. The project has mapped over 470,000 ha of acid sulfate soils and has provided more accurate data on the extent of brackishwater aquaculture in Aceh. A soil texture model, based on fuzzy logic, was developed to map the distribution of sandy soils; these sediments cause significant pond engineering problems. A hydrological model was developed to predict tides and describe wave properties at selected locations. These models have provided important data for pond, dyke and canal design, and to identify appropriate soil remediation and pond management strategies.
The project has continued to deliver a program of technical capacity building-based workshops at the Centre for Brackishwater Aquaculture Development (known as Balai Budidaya Air Payau). BBAP staff are now skilled in soil assessment, soil remediation, pond engineering and pond management, and have applied these skills to collaborative French Red Cross, GTZ, FAO and ADB-funded projects. Training in alternative farming practices for severely degraded ponds has also been provided. The training program is based on the principles of a 'train the trainer' approach to enable BBAP staff to train staff from other MMAF agencies and international programs operating in Aceh. Trained staff who have passed competency tests have participated in extension roadshows to train district Dinas Perikanan (Bureau of Fisheries), NGO staff and farmers. The community and agency-based training activities have been undertaken in collaboration with Component 2 of the Aceh Aquaculture Rehabilitation Project (AARP) funded by AusAid and ACIAR (FIS/2006/002).
During 2007/2008 the project conducted two 4-day training workshops at BBAP as well as two 1-day refresher workshops on soil assessment, soil remediation and pond engineering. Workshop participants also developed their skills in hydrological measurements, surveying, farm planning and dyke and pond design. BBAP staff have also participated in one-on-one training during soil mapping activities conducted by the Research Institute for Coastal Aquaculture (RICA) and Gadjah Mada University (GMU). The field-based training focuses on soil assessment, surveying, tidal measurements, the redesign of canals, ponds and dykes, and the collection of geospatial data for map production.
The project team at BBAP was revised to include new staff. The team is now divided into core field and laboratory team members and supporting staff. Core team members are also responsible for community extension activities. The AARP-funded laboratories are now close to completion; the environmental laboratory will be equipped for soil analyses in 2008. BBAP laboratory staff will undertake further training at RICA in Maros, and will complete their analytical training program at BBAP once the laboratories are fully equipped. The environmental laboratory will provide a soil assessment service for farmers and agencies involved in the rehabilitation programs. Basic soil assessment will be provided at farms using the AARP-funded mobile laboratory. The BBAP team is developing a workplan to assess soils and provide technical and management advice to farmers at selected areas on the north east coast. Field-based training of farmers will be conducted at two AARP-funded pond demonstration sites.
A recent impact assessment of ACIAR's fisheries program in Indonesia recommended the expansion of the training program to deliver similar skill building workshops to other Technical Implementation Units (TIUs). A project variation to deliver technical training to 4 other TIUs was approved in May 2008 and the training program will commence in August.
The research support component of the project has continued to characterise and map soils and aquaculture ponds in the rehabilitation areas. The project has mapped over 470,000 ha of acid sulfate soils and has provided more accurate data on the extent of brackishwater aquaculture in Aceh. A soil texture model, based on fuzzy logic, was developed to map the distribution of sandy soils; these sediments cause significant pond engineering problems. A hydrological model was developed to predict tides and describe wave properties at selected locations. These models have provided important data for pond, dyke and canal design, and to identify appropriate soil remediation and pond management strategies.
Links:
[1] http://www.aciar.gov.au/country/Indonesia
[2] http://www.aciar.gov.au/programarea/Fisheries