Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
for over 300 years. Such traditional forms of shrimp aquaculture entailed a poly-
cultural system, relied on the surrounding ecosystem to supply shrimp feed, and
replaced water in shrimp ponds (
tambak)
using tidal flows. However, beginning
in the 1990s, the Bojokulu Department of Marine Affairs and Fisheries began to
push intensive shrimp farming through extension services. Consequently, those local
shrimp pond owners who could afford to implement intensive farming practices have
largely switched to such practices. While the quantity of shrimp produced increased,
a myriad of problems also accompanied the intensification of shrimp farming in
the region. These included the use of excessive chemical inputs, destruction of
mangrove forests, loss of genetic diversity in shrimp populations, and uneven
income distribution. Thus, similar to many other production sites in the global
South, with the implementation of Blue Revolution technologies, there was both
increases in the productivity of shrimp aquaculture and social and environmental
problems (Goss et al.
2000
; Stonich and Bailey
2000
; Lebel et al.
2002
; Barbier
2003
; Environmental Justice Foundation
2003
).
It is against this backdrop that a Japanese SMO, Sustainable Network (SN),
developed a sustainable shrimp project in Bojokulu in 1992. Seeking to promote
environmental sustainability and improve the economic welfare of farmers, the
project's aim was to preserve traditional shrimp farming practices in Bojokulu by
linking shrimp farmers who used traditional practices with ethically motivated co-op
members in Japan.
3
Congruent with many other alternative agrifood initiatives, SN
and the co-op members believed that building close relationships with farmers and
developing mutual understanding were crucial if the sustainable shrimp project was
going to be successful. However, SN also recognized that farmers and consumers
might have different interests and understandings of sustainability, which would
need to be bridged. Thus, SN viewed as one of its primary tasks bringing farmers
and co-op members together in ways that would encourage dialogue and the sharing
of each other's perspectives.
One of the initial areas where SN sought to bring together co-op members and
farmers was in the development of the project's sustainable shrimp standards. To
facilitate a collaborative standards-development process, and begin to overcome
cultural and language barriers, SN officials and a group of co-op members traveled
to Bojokulu multiple times. Specifically, they visited shrimp ponds and warehouses,
and discussed with farmers what should be the appropriate criteria for 'sustainable'
shrimp farming. Furthermore, SN hired an Indonesian aquaculture specialist who
was originally from the region, and who had received his Ph.D. in aquaculture at
a Japanese university, to help develop and manage the project. As a result of these
efforts SN and co-op members learned that differences existed between them and
farmers regarding what traditional shrimp farming and sustainability entailed.
3
There are multiple and diverse consumer co-op organizations in Japan. The co-op organizations
that have been participating in the sustainable shrimp project distinguish themselves from other
co-op organizations in that they consider themselves more progressive and active in the food
Search WWH ::
Custom Search