The national programme is a strategic partnership between Switzerland and UNIDO to promote trade and competitiveness of Indonesia’s seafood.
After the success of the first SMART-Fish project in 2014 – 2019, the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) together with Switzerland and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) launched a continuation of the project launched in 4 July.
A three-year Swiss-funded technical assistance, the SMART-Fish II has a budget of USD 1,75 million and a mission to increase market access for Indonesian fisheries and aquaculture products through improving compliance capacity up to international quality standards.
According to Secretary General of KKP, NilantoPerbowo, the program has provided significant contribution to the national fisheries sector, particularly pangasius, seaweed and P&L tuna. The programme also introduced new farming methods that offers improved efficiency, better meat quality, texture and increased productivity.
In the first project, it benefited more than 6,000 individuals from private and public sectors in 37 districts and 16 provinces across Indonesia. Most of the benefit goes to 2,000 seaweed and pangasius farmers and more than 460 small-medium enterprise communities of coastal seaweed processor. Of particular note, in May 2019, Indonesia has made its first export of 200 tons of pangasius fillet to Saudi Arabia, valued at USD 472,000 responding to a potential demand from the Middle East amounting to USD 36 million annually.
