Mangrove to Market: Protecting Mangroves, Empowering Coastal Women in Berau

Efforts to strengthen coastal economies through conservation-based initiatives in Berau Regency have been reinforced with the “Mangrove to Market – Holistic Training for Women’s Groups on Institutional Strengthening, Production, and Financial Literacy,” held from 9–11 February 2026. This initiative was launched by Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN) in collaboration with the Berau Regency Government, as part of the Solutions for Marine and Coastal Resilience in the Coral Triangle (SOMACORE) Program, to promote sustainable coastal management that integrates ecological and community economic aspects.

The SOMACORE program is supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and implemented by a consortium of 10 national, regional, and international organizations across six countries of the Coral Triangle.

The coastal area of Berau Regency possesses substantial natural resource potential, particularly its mangrove ecosystem. This ecosystem serves as a crucial coastal protection mechanism and a vital source of livelihood for the local community.  However, the optimization of this potential is still facing various challenges, such as limited group capacity in organizational management, product innovation, and business financial literacy.

The Mangrove to Market initiative aims to enhance the capacity of coastal women’s groups in sustainably managing mangrove potential and fishery-based enterprises. This involves strengthening institutions, improving production, and managing business finances.

The Regional Secretary of Berau Regency, Muhammad Said, in his remarks, emphasized the importance of strengthening the role of coastal women in maintaining the balance between the economy and the environment.

“Mangroves play a highly strategic role, not only as protectors of coastal ecosystems from erosion and climate change, but also as a foundation for livelihoods and a source of economic activity for coastal communities. The Berau Regency Government strongly supports initiatives that promote coastal economies based on local resources, especially those involving women’s groups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs),” he explained.

Said added that through the Mangrove to Market approach, communities not only understand the importance of mangrove conservation but also gain practical skills to develop sustainable mangrove-based businesses.

In line with this, the Head of the Berau Fisheries Department, Abdul Majid, emphasised that strengthening the capacity of community groups is an essential part of building a sustainable fisheries sector.

“Coastal resource management cannot only focus on production. We must ensure that practices are environmentally friendly, products meet quality standards, and groups have strong management. This way, fishery products and mangrove-based processed goods can gain added value and competitiveness in the market,” he said.

Participants underwent integrated learning that encompassed sustainable mangrove utilization, strengthening group organizational management, development of local resource-based flagship products, implementation of stringent production standards, and the improvement of group literacy and financial management through a participatory training approach.

The training participants were women's group representatives from several coastal villages in Berau Regency, namely Tabalar Muara Village, Pegat Batumbuk Village, Tubaan Village, Semurut Village, Buyung-Buyung Village, and Pilanjau Village.

YKAN Senior Blue Economy Manager Kiki Anggraini stated that strengthening the capacity of women’s groups is key to building a resilient coastal economy while preserving ecosystem sustainability.

“The Mangrove to Market approach ensures that the use of natural resources goes hand in hand with conservation efforts. When women’s groups have strong institutional capacity, high-quality production, and sound financial management, the businesses they build will be more sustainable and have a direct impact on family welfare and the environment,” she said.

Riska Febriani, a participant from the Kertroppo Jaya Processing and Marketing Group (Poklahsar) in Pegat Batumbuk Village, stated that the training provided new insights into managing group businesses professionally.

“We now better understand how to utilize mangroves without damaging them, while also learning how to manage our business more neatly, from production to financial record-keeping. This is very helpful for us to grow our group’s business,” she said.

Through continuous assistance after the Mangrove to Market training, coastal women’s groups in Berau Regency are expected to be able to manage mangroves sustainably, optimize product quality, and manage their business finances independently.

About SOMACORE

The SOMACORE program is supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and implemented by a consortium of 10 national, regional, and international organizations across six countries of the Coral Triangle.