Empowering women, transforming coastal communities, and fueling Indonesia’s blue economy with seaweed, a conversation with Boedi Sardjana Julianto.
Immersed in the tantalizing world of the food industry, Boedi Sardjana Julianto discovered his true passion along the shores of East Indonesia, where he embarked on a journey as a consultant for emerging seaweed enterprises. A fortuitous encounter with renowned seaweed expert Dr. Yannis marked a turning point for Boedi, revealing the untapped potential of this marine treasure.
Since 2005, representing PT Jasuda, Boedi Sardjana has orchestrated programs nurturing Indonesia’s seaweed industry. From the vibrant islands of Sulawesi to Bali’s winding coastline and the distant horizons of Nusa Tenggara, Boedi resonated with coastal communities. His journey evolved from understanding to thriving ventures. resonated deeply within these communities. Coastal communities, each with their unique perspectives, embraced the promise of seaweed and witnessed economic growth.. Boedi Sardjana witnessed societal shifts, reinforcing his belief in the positive impact of seaweed. His understanding extends beyond the surface; the dance of seaweed with nature, purging pollutants and reducing carbon emissions, enriches his vision. Amid this journey where seaweed paints prosperity, Boedi Sardjana wields the brush, crafting a future with strokes of change and hues of hope.
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
Women at the Forefront of Seaweed Cultivation
Along the coastline, Boedi Sardjana witnessed a plethora of cultivation activities aimed at nurturing the seaweed industry, often led by women. Women played a pivotal and indispensable role. For instance, in South Sulawesi, the preparation and binding of seaweed were predominantly managed by women. It was a task deemed optimally suited for their expertise. Furthermore, in East Nusa Tenggara, women not only engaged in the binding and preparation process but also ventured into the sea, contributing to the transportation, drying, and more. This narrative extended to Bali as well, albeit with distinct models and locations.
In Bali and East Nusa Tenggara, women waded in shallow waters, while in Sulawesi, they ventured further. Regardless of location, women played a pivotal role, and their influence extended to trade as they managed financial aspects. Remarkably, businesses led by women in exports underline their significant involvement and impact in the industry.
PT Jasuda: Championing MSMEs and Coastal Communities
Boedi Sardjana witnessed diverse cultivation efforts along coastlines, often led by women. Women played an essential role in tasks like seaweed preparation and binding, extending to transportation and drying. From the outset, PT Jasuda focused on bolstering East Indonesia’s MSMEs, aligning with Boedi Sardjana’s emphasis on the seaweed sector. After the project’s completion, Boedi Sardjana and the team continued independently, establishing the Resource Network (Jaringan Sumber Daya/Jasuda), maintaining focus on MSME development within and beyond seaweed.
Boedi Sardjana highlighted a stark reality: many coastal communities, especially in isolated regions, grapple with poverty and lack essential services. PT Jasuda’s efforts aimed to address these gaps, demonstrating the benefits of seaweed cultivation for coastal communities, leading to an uplift in their quality of life.
PT Jasuda's initiative focused on East Indonesia's MSME development. We led a seaweed project and continued with PT Jasuda after, emphasizing MSME growth within and beyond seaweed. We aim to strengthen finance, market, tech access, connecting ethical, transparent, efficient, inclusive, and sustainable Indonesian MSMEs to the global level.
Within the framework of the blue economy, PT Jasuda has carved out innovative, alternative career paths for women. Their approach begins by addressing their social needs which involves educational aspirations, such as their desire to learn how to read and write, as there are regions where illiteracy persists. Building upon these needs, PT Jasuda cultivates an academic ambiance with study groups, unveiling the coastal regions’ latent potential. PT Jasuda also introduced them to the potential of seaweed business, recognizing the community’s need to value addition in seaweed, prompting Boedi Sardjana and team to introduce simple processing methods that stimulate creativity and insight among coastal women. PT Jaduda offers them a platform to steer business, fortify self-belief, refine familial finances, and above all, foster their voice and agency.
Through these efforts, female seaweed farmers have made a distinctive contribution to the advancement of Indonesia’s blue economy. Their resilience and strength have revealed the transformative power of empowering women in coastal areas, not only uplifting livelihoods but also fostering confidence, leadership, and a sense of agency.
Through these efforts, female seaweed farmers have made a distinctive contribution to the advancement of Indonesia’s blue economy. Their resilience and strength have revealed the transformative power of empowering women in coastal areas, not only uplifting livelihoods but also fostering confidence, leadership, and a sense of agency.
