Fishermen Village needs social engineering beyond infrastructure: BRIN

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Fishermen Village needs social engineering beyond infrastructure: BRIN​

Delegates from countries participating in the ASEAN-ID Blue forum learn about the integrated blue economy concept at the Red and White Fishermen Village in Banyuwangi, East Java, on Friday (July 17, 2026). ANTARA FOTO/Budi Candra Setya/nym

Jakarta (ANTARA) - National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) researcher Andrian Ramadhan stated that the Red and White Fishermen Village (KNMP) program must go beyond physical upgrades to include targeted social engineering.

The researcher at BRIN's Center for Behavioral and Circular Economy Research emphasized that the KNMP program was designed as an integrated upstream-to-downstream initiative to transform the living spaces and social structures of coastal communities.

"We try to impose something that people are not yet ready to achieve, creating a gap in maintaining that ideal. Therefore, serious efforts are needed from those seeking to bring about change," Ramadhan said during a discussion here on Thursday.

In this regard, he said social engineering must not be carried out through a utopian approach that imposes an extreme ideal blueprint while moving far away from grassroots realities on the ground.

He explained that one of the most deeply rooted social realities in coastal areas is the presence of middlemen or fishing patrons, who for years have established strong ties with small-scale fishermen.

Therefore, he argued, the presence of new institutions or facilities, such as fisheries centers under the KNMP program, could potentially trigger resistance if the government positions itself as a direct competitor.

Therefore, BRIN encourages a hybrid governance model in developing KNMP, where fishing patrons are not treated as adversaries but instead involved contractually as partners to create fairer market chains for shared prosperity.

Previously, President Prabowo Subianto emphasized that strengthening the maritime sector is part of the government's efforts to build national self-reliance.

"We are highly respected because we are now self-sufficient in food, rice, corn, and in many other areas. We no longer need to import food from abroad, and fishermen have made a major contribution. We want to strengthen the role of our fishermen," Prabowo said.

Fishermen Village needs social engineering beyond infrastructure: BRIN

National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) researcher Andrian Ramadhan stated that the Red and White Fishermen Village (KNMP) program must go beyond ...

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