Seaweed, is one of the marine products that can be utilized for human needs. Various kinds of food, cosmetics and medicines use seaweed as a basic ingredient. One of the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Alor Seaweed Forum (ForLa-Alor), has Mama Agus who is skillful in processing seaweed into various snacks, such as dodol, pilus to jelly.

During its membership in Jaring-Nusantara, ForLa-Alor established a business of various processed seaweed in the form of dodol, pilus, crackers, and seaweed sticks with a distinctive Alor taste. The turnover obtained from the business is used for organizational purposes and also provides services to grass cultivators in Alor to sell their harvest. Mama Agus does the processing to marketing process by herself.

When Mama Agus' health declined, FoRLa-Alor members were left in the lurch. Because in managing the processed seaweed business, no one understood except Mama Agus. The transfer of expertise has not been done to other administrators or members, while making processed products cannot be done by only learning in theory.

The incident led FoRLa to apply to WWF-Indonesia, through Jaring-Nusantara, to facilitate Seaweed Processing Training at the FoRLa office. For 3 days, March 30 - April 01, 2015, Yashinta Lona, Seaweed Processing Trainer from Sulamu guided FoRLa to practice making 4 processed seaweed products, namely: dodol, pilus, crackers and seaweed sticks.

Learning from past mistakes, FoRLa only relied on one person as the manager of this business, this time FoRLa included six of its members, namely Suhaiba Foang, Aisha Maro, Hajar Dongge, Marsalina Adang, Welmince Adang and Octavina Duka.

Although they have not produced preparations that are 100% perfect in both shape and taste, Yashinta Lona said that the participants were able to make their own preparations. Along with the practice that is done later, it will definitely produce perfect preparations. While teaching them how to make preparations, Yashita Lona also gave them the understanding that this skill can add value to seaweed. If one day the price of dry seaweed falls, they will not be too worried, because they can market processed seaweed that has a higher price than dry seaweed.

Octavina Duka, who is familiarly called Ina, will oversee the processed seaweed business at FoRLa, replacing the previous Processing Unit Coordinator, Mama Agus. Three days of training, Ina has been able to make processed seaweed. In the next work plan, Ina will be fully responsible for the processed production house. Marketing of processed products will also be coordinated by different personnel.

Of course, there is still a long way to go to restart the business. In addition to setting up production and licensing, FoRLa must also promote and sell the products. With the added value that these processed products come from traceable seaweed raw materials and are produced from responsible farming practices, FoRLa believes that they can gain a market for their processed products to major cities in Indonesia.

Do you want to help market Alor's seaweed snacks?

Author: Nur Ahyani - Aquaculture Fisheries Officer