Precious Seedlings

Lamnga, Indonesia - Lamnga village is located near the ocean and was severely affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004. The village used to have a vast mangrove forest along the coastline, which bordered the community's fishponds. The existence of mangroves plays an important role as it provides organic elements, supports the stability of fish production, is a refuge for shrimp and crabs, and also protects the coast from erosion and damage due to high waves and strong winds.

Most of the villagers in Lamnga rely on aquaculture activities - such as shrimp farming, mussel collection and mangrove nursery production - as their main source of livelihood and income. Due to the tsunami, however, almost half of the community lost their jobs and the means of supporting their families.

But, after the widespread destruction of the tsunami, many brave and resourceful community members stepped up to help their neighbors - and Mercy Corps was there to assist them.

Edwar, a farmer in Lamnga, was one of those courageous souls. He realized that his previous job as a mangrove producer might be of benefit for also other villages in Aceh that were affected by the tsunami.

Edwar established a group, consisting of 12 men from Lamnga village, and the group submitted a proposal to Mercy Corps' Livelihood Program. Their proposal explained the importance of replanting mangroves along the coastline to prevent erosion by collecting sediments from rivers and steams, slowing down the water flow and cushioning the ocean's epic strength.

"The mangroves are extremely important in forming an effective barrier against any type of strong waves," Edwar explained.

Restoring ecosystem and economy

Through Mercy Corps' grant, Edwar and his group have resumed their work, are generating income and supporting other villages by distributing mangrove seedlings. Mercy Corps funded the group with a cash grant of IDR 46,800,000 (US $468).

Since November 2005, the group has produced seedlings that consist of two important mangrove species: Rhizophora mucronata and Rhizophora aphiculata. Through the cash grant, the group was successful in selling about 96,000 mangrove seedlings around the region, generating income while helping protect Aceh's coast.

Now, a year later, the production is running very well. There is a high demand for mangrove seedlings, mostly related to aquaculture projects that are being implemented for tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Aceh. Edwar's group is very satisfied and happy about the amount of requests and orders that they're receiving from other villages, international humanitarian organizations and even the Indonesian Government.

"We are happy because the seedlings that are produced are of good quality, and the group is very proud that also other villages benefited from their nursery" said Edy Syahputra Barus, a staff member of Mercy Corps' economic development program in Aceh.

Mercy Corps is focusing on the rehabilitation of mangrove and coastal forests, as well as on an increasing diversity to provide sustainable livelihoods and reliable income for tsunami-affected communities in Aceh. Thanks to farmers like Edwar, those efforts are taking root.