FISHERMEN COMMUNITY ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT (Study on Improving the Welfare Economics of Coastal Communities in Situbondo)

By

Ayun Maduwinarti

Faculty of Social and Political Sciences

Universitas 17 Agustus 1945  Surabaya

Abstract

The abundance of natural resources in Indonesia, especially in the field of marine fisheries was not comparable to the economic conditions of its people. Approximately 16.2 million fishermen in Indonesia or around 44% of the number of fishermen who reach 37 million people live below the poverty threshold.  Inequality in the capital, access to economic and political impact on the welfare of traditional fishermen and helplessness decreased in an effort to free themselves from the cycle of structural poverty. The first purpose of this study, knowing the factors of policy implementation failure empowerment of fishing communities so entangled structural poverty, and secondly finding empowerment model that is consistent with local knowledge, productive, efficient, and institutionalization of the interests of all parties. This research uses descriptive qualitative research, background and approach directed at individuals in a holistic (whole).  The results showed that community empowerment programs have been carried out by central and local government, but so far have not shown significant results.  The cause is due to the low quality of human resources, be it educational, social (communality-homogeneous), and the culture that is reluctant to change. Empowerment model that is needed is to establish institutions fishing communities as a means of learning and self-create fishing communities. Through government agencies and banking institutions provide capital assistance and education and training among the fishing communities on an ongoing basis, in order to improve the quality of the trading system to increase access to local and regional marketing, improving the quality of technology, social change and the role of fishermen community oriented institutional entrepreneurship. Institutional strengthening needs the involvement of all parties and must be preceded by an incubation program.

Abstract

The abundance of natural resources in Indonesia, especially in the field of marine fisheries was not comparable to the economic conditions of its people. Approximately 16.2 million fishermen in Indonesia or around 44% of the number of fishermen who reach 37 million people live below the poverty threshold.  Inequality in the capital, access to economic and political impact on the welfare of traditional fishermen and helplessness decreased in an effort to free themselves from the cycle of structural poverty. The first purpose of this study, knowing the factors of policy implementation failure empowerment of fishing communities so entangled structural poverty, and secondly finding empowerment model that is consistent with local knowledge, productive, efficient, and institutionalization of the interests of all parties. This research uses descriptive qualitative research, background and approach directed at individuals in a holistic (whole).  The results showed that community empowerment programs have been carried out by central and local government, but so far have not shown significant results.  The cause is due to the low quality of human resources, be it educational, social (communality-homogeneous), and the culture that is reluctant to change. Empowerment model that is needed is to establish institutions fishing communities as a means of learning and self-create fishing communities. Through government agencies and banking institutions provide capital assistance and education and training among the fishing communities on an ongoing basis, in order to improve the quality of the trading system to increase access to local and regional marketing, improving the quality of technology, social change and the role of fishermen community oriented institutional entrepreneurship. Institutional strengthening needs the involvement of all parties and must be preceded by an incubation program.

Keywords; fishermen, poverty, empowerment, equity, training, entrepreneurship