The Critical Role of Targeted Training to Drive Empowerment

In Indonesia’s aquaculture sector, women have long been the backbone of household financial management, yet their contributions often go unrecognized. And because of historically limited access to education and employment opportunities, many women have struggled to contribute to household and community growth. Through its Indonesia Aquaculture Challenge Project (2021 – 2026), AgResults is working to change this narrative by hosting trainings that target women who work in aquaculture. These activities are not just beneficial—they are essential for the sustainable growth and inclusivity of the aquaculture industry.

Currently in its fourth year, the project uses a Pay-for-Results prize competition to strengthen the country’s aquaculture sector by encouraging private sector actors (“competitors”) to deliver on-farm technologies, such as feeders and aerators, or technical assistance packages to smallholder farmers. By using monetary incentives to drive these activities, the project aims to increase productivity, boost farmer income, and strengthen value chain relationships between aquaculture input providers and farmers across Indonesia.

The Approach to Spark Women’s Empowerment in Aquaculture

With its extensive pond areas and thriving milkfish and shrimp farming, Brebes Regency in Central Java is a cornerstone of Indonesia’s aquaculture sector. Its pond area covers 12,748 hectares with more than 4,000 pond farmers. To fully harness the aquaculture potential of Brebes Regency, it is crucial to address gender disparities. Women, who often manage household finances, play a vital role in the economic stability and growth of aquaculture farms. Empowering these women through targeted training can enhance productivity, foster innovation, and drive economic growth.

Recognizing the indispensable role of women and Brebes’ potential, Project Manager WWF-Indonesia has organized two key trainings on financial literacy and on entrepreneurship in Years 3 and 4. These trainings, delivered with the expertise of MICRA (Microfinance Innovation Center for Resources and Alternatives), were designed to equip women with the skills and knowledge necessary to transform their roles in the aquaculture sector.

Financial Literacy Training: Building a Strong Foundation

Held in December 2023, the Financial Literacy Training aimed to enhance women’s capacity to manage household finances. Two competitors attended the session to observe and get a better sense of the barriers and challenges that these women face. By covering essential topics such as budget planning, saving strategies, wise lending, and financial communication within the family, the training empowered women to make informed financial decisions. These decisions are critical for investing in aquaculture technologies and technical assistance, which are key to increasing farm productivity.

Entrepreneurship Training: Fostering Innovation and Independence

The Entrepreneurship Training, which was conducted in September 2024, built on the foundation laid by the Financial Literacy Training and aimed to transform women into entrepreneurs. This training was a powerful tool for fostering innovation and independence: By equipping women with entrepreneurial skills, business planning techniques, product pricing strategies, marketing insights, and risk management knowledge, the training taught them to start and manage their own businesses. This not only boosts their economic independence but also encourages their families to invest in aquaculture productivity. Similarly, two competitors attended this training to become more familiar with the roles of the shrimp farmers’ wives and use that information to shape their own approach to marketing and outreach.

Looking Ahead: Impact and Sustainability

The impact of these trainings is evident. Using pre- and post-training assessments, the Financial Literacy Training saw a 19% increase in participants’ financial management knowledge. This improvement is not just a statistic; it represents real change in the lives of 52 women who are now better equipped to manage their household finances and support aquaculture investments. The Entrepreneurship Training, attended by 46 women, demonstrated a similar impact: Scores went up by 17% from the pre-training to the post-training test. It’s clear that this latest session has sparked new business ideas and laid the groundwork for future growth and innovation in the sector. These numbers underscore the importance of community engagement and the need for flexible, context-specific approaches.

The lessons learned from these experiences are invaluable for shaping future activities and for highlighting the invaluable role of women in this sector. There is also an important sustainability piece involved, as the Project Manager plans to hand over these trainings to competitors participating in the AgResults project to use as part of their marketing strategy in the future. By promoting gender inclusion and equipping women with the skills and knowledge they need, these trainings will contribute to broader social and economic transformation of the country’s aquaculture sector over time.