The Development of Strong Coastal Villages Movement

Faculty of Human Ecology (FEMA) Bogor Agricultural University  in collaboration with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and IMACS USAID has initiated a program that gives the spirit of a new movement for the revival and advancement of the coastal villages in Indonesia. Such spirit has been formulated into the program Pengembangan Desa Pesisir Tangguh – PDPT (The Development of Strong Coastal Villages).

This program was stated in the Development of Strong Coastal Villages Workshop "Towards a Prosperous Coastal Villages in Indonesia by the Development Strong Coastal Village" on Thursday, 22 September 2011, at the Universitry Senate Meeting Room,  Dramaga  Campus, Bogor.

National development program is started from the strengthening of the villages. In South Korea, for example, the success of industrialization of this country is supported by the strong foundation of its sustained villages, "said Dean of Faculty of Human Ecology (FEMA) of Bogor Agricultural University,  Dr. Arif Satria.

Vice Rector for Research and Cooperation of Bogor Agricultural University, Prof. Dr. Miftah Anas Fauzi, who officially opened the event stated that  PDPT should have three development principles, namely the sovereign, justice  and sustainable. "If these three principles are applied, by God blesses,  strong coastal villages program can be realized," he said.

Meanwhile, the Keynote Speaker, the Director General of Marine, Coastal and Small Islands of Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Dr. Sudirman Saad,  stated that in reality most of coastal villages in Indonesia encountere four formidable problems. Those four problems are as follows: 1). The high level of poverty among coastal communities; 2). High degradation of coastal resources; 3). Lack of independence of village social organization and the erosion of local culture; and 4). The poor village infrastructures and healthy neighborhoods. All were attrributed  to contribute to the high vulnerability to natural disasters and climate change in the coastal villages.

"Thus, the objectives of PDPT are: 1). To improve services and facilities of the socioeconomic infrastructure; 2). To improve the environmental quality; 3). To enhance institutional capacity of the communities and local governments in participatory decision processes, and 4). To improve disaster preparedness," stated the Director General.

In addition to Director General of Marine, Coastal and Small Islands of Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, who was invited as the keynote speaker, the Director of Coastal and Ocean Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Dr.Ir. Subandono Diposantono, the Director of the Center for Coastal and Marine Resource Assessment (PKSPL), Prof. Dr. Tridoyo Kusumastanto, The Director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies (PSP3) IPB, Dr. Lala M Kolopaking, and Head of Centre for Planning and Regional Development (P4W) IPB, Dr. Ernan Rustiadi, were invited as speaker by the Workshop.  (Wied)