Building with nature: mangroves in aquaculture
Indonesia has more than 20% of the world’s total mangrove area. Mangrove forests are indispensable to a country like Indonesia which comprises over 17,000 islands. They protect shorelines from sea level rise, sequester carbon, and support millions of livelihoods. On average these sets of services yield between USD 15,000-50,000 per hectare per year in benefits.
However, Indonesia’s mangroves are threatened by aquaculture, agriculture, and unsustainable development.
In the coastal region of Demak, Wetlands International’s Building With Nature programme restored mangroves while simultaneously improving aquaculture yields. This method – Associated Mangrove Aquaculture – integrates aquaculture with forestry through the establishment of a mangrove greenbelt along the coastal areas of river estuaries.
By moving pond dikes further inland and away from the riverbanks, mangroves regenerate naturally in the designated area. Their roots filter out pathogens, cleaning the water and yielding healthier aquaculture produce including shrimp, crabs and a variety of fish.
AMA in Demak is a prime example of how sustainable livelihoods and nature-based solutions to climate change can work hand-in-hand. It is a solution ready to be scaled up within Indonesia and globally. Watch the above video, made possible with support from the Wetlands4Resilience program funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and from the Targeted Support Flagships UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration.