A MERA Program Summary taking place in Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) Regency, South Sumatra, Indonesia
Ogan Komering Ilir Regency (abbreviation: OKI) lies around 200 km from Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra Province. In order to reach the most populous village on the OKI Coast, one must navigate challenging terrain, from peatland overland routes (100 km) to swift water river journeys on speedboats (100 km). The area’s remoteness means that basic amenities like electricity and water are yet to reach this area, leaving the communities with various limitations.
Spanning 295.14 km, the OKI Coast is South Sumatra Province's longest coastline. Its 40,020-hectares of mangrove forest is a biodiversity haven. Unfortunately, the mangroves face threats from shrimp pond expansion. The ponds also encroaching into mangrove protected forests. The lack of electricity forces farmers to use traditional, less productive methods, prompting them to expand into mangrove areas to increase higher aquaculture yields.
To address these challenges, YKAN’s MERA Program develops an integrated coastal management plan in OKI Regency, to support sustainable mangrove management and sustainable livelihood.
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