AgResults Roadshow Promotes Technology Adoption among Farmers in Lampung

On September 19, 2024, 68 smallholder farmers representing eight villages in Kampung Bumi Dipasena gathered at the Lampung Regional Shrimp Farmers Association (Perhimpunan Petambak Pembudidaya Udang Wilayah Lampung, or P3UW Lampung) to learn ways to adopt shrimp farming technology to help increase production and decrease the incidence of disease by maintaining water quality. This event was the second roadshow in a series hosted by Project Manager WWF-Indonesia in Year 4 of the AgResults Indonesia Aquaculture Challenge Project. These roadshows support the broader objective of the AgResults Pay-for-Results prize competition to engage the private sector and promote the adoption of technologies and technical assistance (TA) services among smallholder farmers.

Shrimp farming in Indonesia faces numerous challenges, with disease outbreaks being one of the most pressing issues. Diseases such as Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) and Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) have severely impacted shrimp production, leading to declines in output, increased feed costs, and even crop failures. During the road show, farmers engaged with experts to discuss the role of technology in water quality management and disease control, aiming to enhance shrimp farming productivity.

At the roadshow, Coco Kokarkin, a member of the Indonesian Shrimp Forum (FUI) and the AgResults Indonesia Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), introduced the “Traditional Plus” technology. This approach to increase the productivity of traditional shrimp farming leverages simple technological applications and a nursery method to shorten the grow-out phase, thereby reducing the risk of disease-related losses. This technology is particularly suited for Dipasena, where semi-intensive shrimp farming has faced disease challenges since 2021. Participants also discussed practical measures to help smallholder farmers combat shrimp farm diseases.

Effective management of AHPND and EHP in shrimp farming requires a comprehensive strategy of water management, feed, and strict biosecurity. Regular water quality monitoring, the use of probiotics, and disease-free post-larvae are essential components for success.

The Head of Lampung’s Fisheries Agency, Fridudin, expressed his appreciation for the roadshow.  “We highly appreciate WWF-Indonesia for organizing this event,” he said. “We hope that through this activity, shrimp farmers, especially vannamei farmers, will gain valuable knowledge to improve shrimp production.”

In addition to seminars for farmers, the roadshow also served as an interactive platform, allowing smallholder farmers to directly engage with competitors that are offering various technology and TA services through the AgResults contest. Through these discussions, competitors encouraged farmers to adopt their products to enhance farm productivity.

Eight competitors participated in the roadshow, including CV Asia Cahaya Teknik Prima, PT Banoo Inovasi Indonesia, PT Eco Karya Teknologi (Crustea), PT Venambak Kail Dipantara, PT Bumi Wirasatraya Sejahtera, CV Republik Vannamei, PT Aqubeta Dipo Jaya, and PT Aditya Inovasi Makmur (FisTx). The farmers’ enthusiasm was evident during demonstrations of the showcased equipment, such as paddle wheels, submersible pumps, and microbubble aerators.

Suratman, Head of P3UW Lampung, also shared his hopes for the event. “We hope that this event encourages smallholder farmers in Tulang Bawang to make greater use of technology,” he said. “With technology, farm productivity can increase, leading to positive economic impacts for the region.”

Looking ahead, the PM will conduct one more roadshow in Year 4 based on competitor input and the number of farmers in the given region. Continuing these roadshows will help competitors to strengthen their networks and connect competitors with smallholder farmers, farmer associations, and extension officers.

The Indonesia Aquaculture Challenge Project is part of AgResults, a $152 million collaborative initiative between the governments of Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the World Bank Group that uses prize competitions to incentivize the private sector to overcome market barriers and create lasting change. Under AgResults’ Pay-for-Results model, these competitions encourage actors to achieve predetermined results thresholds and quality for monetary prizes.