The Impact of Covid 19 on Seaweed Smallholder Farmers in Nusa Tenggara Barat, Indonesia

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the seaweed industry and business. The export-import trade is the most severely impacted sector, mainly the raw material export of seaweed. The purpose of this study was to determine how smallholder farmers in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, can survive under adverse conditions and maintain their businesses during a pandemic. The research was conducted through a combination of field surveys and in-depth interviews with respondents. Interviews were performed using a variety of instruments, including questionnaires and cameras. According to the study's findings, smallholder farmers are impacted by a decline in prices and demand. Smallholder farmers in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, are attempting to adapt or adjust their operations to maintain profitability. Seaweed farmers make significant savings and cut their spending in the event of a pandemic. What is intriguing is that respondents did not reduce their spending on food. Instead, they prioritize reducing tertiary needs. Additionally, the same holder farmer borrows from collectors, borrows from the bank, and works side jobs. Thus, seaweed farmers are relatively unaffected by this pandemic and recover more quickly than other types of fishery businesses.Keywords: Covid 19, seaweed, smallholder farmer, Nusa Tenggara Barat

COVID-19 pandemic and the momentum of seaweed industry development in Indonesia towards sustainable food system: An overview

“…However, there was subsequent growth in the succeeding months. The observed fluctuation may be attributed to the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic measures, particularly in the first stages of the global health crisis [15], [21]. Based on the data, it was found that total seaweed exports have dropped by 30.54% and 19.90% and dried seaweed exports decreased by 32.02% and 30.11 by volume and value in the first semester of 2020, respectively (Fig.…”

“…These benefits coexist with a range of other environmental and social changes linked to the sector, as well as diverse advantages experienced by various members of communities and households [15]- [17], [20]. When Presidential Decree 33-2019 was initially implemented, the COVID-19 pandemic brought significant adverse effects to the Indonesian seaweed industry, particularly in the first quarter of 2020 [21]. Those effects were mainly related to the decrease of export volume and value of dried seaweeds.…”

“…One contention is that exporters of raw and dried seaweed experienced various issues and limitations due to the COVID-19 pandemic measures. One aspect to consider was the diminished operational efficiency of Indonesian seaweed processing facilities, which stands at around 50% and may be attributed, in part, to the insufficient provision of raw materials [21], [22]. However, there are limited studies on the contribution of the seaweed industry, especially the upstream sector, to accelerating the post-COVID-19 pandemic coastal economic recovery in Indonesia.…”