From Waste to Opportunity: Coastal Women of Berau Create Uludang Crispy from Shrimp Heads

After successfully producing various processed fishery products, this coastal women’s group has now introduced Uludang Crispy, a snack made from shrimp heads, which were previously underutilised and often ended up as waste.

This innovation stems from the group’s effort to increase the economic value of fishery products while reducing production waste. For Poklahsar Kerjasama Jaya, shrimp heads are no longer discarded but transformed into raw materials for products that generate additional income for families.

Riska Febriani, the head of Poklahsar Kerjasama Jaya, said that the development of Uludang is the result of training and mentoring provided by the Nusantara Nature Conservation Foundation (YKAN) and the Berau Fisheries Office under the Solutions for Marine and Coastal Resilience in the Coral Triangle (SOMACORE) program.

“Shrimp heads have often gone unused, even though they hold potential to be processed into food products with economic value. Through support from YKAN and the Berau Fisheries Office, we are turning what was once considered waste into something beneficial for the community,” she said.

Riska added that the group continues to improve product quality and business management. Currently, Poklahsar Kerjasama Jaya’s products, including Uludang Crispy, are equipped with business permits and halal certificates, ensuring quality and increasing consumer trust.

The marketing of Uludang Crispy is also expanding. The products are now sold not only in Pegat Batumbuk Village but also in several souvenir shops in Tanjung Redeb, Berau Regency. Their presence in these outlets opens opportunities to broaden market reach and introduce local coastal products to tourists and the wider public.

Abdul Majid, Head of the Berau Fisheries Office, praised the group’s innovation, noting that developing processed products is a key step in boosting the competitiveness of community fishery businesses.

“Adding value is essential for fishery business development. Innovations like this show that the community can identify opportunities in materials that were previously underutilised. Such initiatives should be encouraged as they bring economic benefits and support sustainable resource management,” he said.

Previously, coastal women from several villages in Berau had received training and mentoring in enterprise development, product packaging, marketing, financial recording, and strategies to increase the competitiveness of local products from YKAN and the Berau Fisheries Office.

These efforts aim to help communities build businesses that are not only economically profitable but also support coastal environmental conservation.

This initiative also encourages coastal women to enhance their business capacity, strengthen group institutions, develop product innovations, and widen market access for sustainably managed coastal resource-based products.

With the right business license, improved packaging, and halal certification, Uludang Crispy is expected to become a flagship product from coastal Berau, ready to compete in regional and national markets.

Kiki Anggraini, Senior Manager of Blue Economy at YKAN, explained that empowering women is a vital key to building a resilient coastal economy.

“Women play a significant role in the fisheries value chain. We aim to strengthen their capacity so they can develop local resource-based businesses and innovations sustainably,” she said.

“This innovation also aligns with the blue economy approach developed by YKAN through the Shrimp Carbon Aquaculture (SECURE) concept. This approach integrates sustainable shrimp farming with mangrove ecosystem protection and restoration,” Kiki added.

Through the SECURE approach, most pond areas are preserved or restored as mangrove zones, which serve as carbon sinks, natural coastal protection, and habitats for important marine species.

Meanwhile, aquaculture areas are managed in environmentally friendly, sustainable ways. This approach delivers ecological benefits while also opening new economic opportunities for the community.