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THE FORD FOUNDATION
Inter-Office Memorandum

TO: The Files                         DATE: April 11, 1983
VIA: Ms. Ann Sutoro
Dr. Tom G. Kessinger                   COPY TO: IND Chron
MP Chron
DAG General
FROM: Mark Poffenberger  MP

SUBJECT: Economic Development in the Fishing Community of Sungai Buntu: Comments on the PPA Proposal

The purpose of this memo is to provide background information on the economy of fishing villages in the Sungai Buntu area. The data was gathered during a field trip with Ann Sutoro on February 16, 1983. This information should be useful in reviewing a research proposal from Pusat Pengembangan Agribusiness to examine appropriate community development strategies aimed at raising the productivity of women involved in fish processing and marketing. 

Background:

While many sectors of the population of Java, Madura, and Bali have experienced rapid increases in household incomes and corresponding improvements in their standards of living over the past decade, it appears that coastal fishing communities have not shared in that economic growth to the same degree. Yet, families who are primarily dependent on fishing represent a significant proportion of the rural population. If coastal communities are to participate in the country's future economic growth a greater understanding needs to be achieved by development planners, regarding equitably productive and substainable strategies which most effectively utilize local human and natural resources. The fishing community of Sungai Buntu is presented as an example of some of the problems faced by low income fishing families.

The three villages which comprise the administrative unit of Sungai Buntu are located on the north coast of Java 100 km east of Jakarta in the district of Karawang. The villages occupy a stretch of coastline 15 km in length bisected by several small rivers which are used to harbor fishing boats and along whose banks settlements are located. A total of 2000 families live in these communities. These families depend on utilization of 3 resource bases for their subsistence which include: cultivation of the inland rice land (sawah - 1517 Ha.), aquaculture in the coastal brackish water ponds (tambak - 864 Ha.), and ocean fisheries All three environments appear to be controlled by a minority of the people, who are dependent on them. The families who control these resources gain much of the income resulting from their exploitation It appears recent technological innovations are further increasing economic inequity in these communities.