Sasi label: local innovation for food security amid climate crisis

Climate Crisis and Its Impact on Food Security

Food security — the ability to provide sufficient, healthy, and sustainable food — is now imperiled by climate change. The IPCC 2023 report affirms that the fisheries sector — a livelihood source for millions of Indonesians, especially in eastern coastal regions — is directly affected by rising sea temperatures and more frequent extreme weather.

Small-scale fishers face declining catches, rising operational costs, and uncertainty in their operations. Thus, systematic adaptation and intervention are essential to safeguard the sector’s sustainability.

The Initiative of CFI Indonesia: Capacity Building and Market Access

The Coastal Fisheries Initiative (CFI) Indonesia, funded by GEF-6 and coordinated by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, responds to these challenges. Operating across three Fisheries Management Areas or FMA (WPP 715, 717, and 718), the project has reached over 5,300 fishers, including 32% women.

CFI provides training across fishing techniques, seafood processing, business management, and marketing. It also builds partnerships between fisher groups and modern retail networks. Sasi-labeled products now reach 10 retail outlets, with potential expansion to 30.

This model has been implemented in Southeast Maluku, Eastern Seram, and Wondama Bay, and is now being replicated in Ambon, Biak Numfor, Kaimana, and Raja Ampat.

Sasi and OECMs: Strengthening Customary-Based Conservation

CFI also promotes coastal resource management rooted in customary law via participatory conservation measures — Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs). In Eastern Seram, approximately 5,971 hectares of marine area are mapped as OECMs. On Kei Besar Island, another 348 hectares are managed similarly.

Under the Sasi principle — prohibiting harvest of marine resources for a designated period — the marine ecosystems are given the opportunity to recover, so that catches can be obtained in a more sustainable manner. This approach balances environmental preservation with the community’s economic needs.

Sasi Label: Local Wisdom Packaged for Modern Markets

The Sasi tradition receives added value through Sasi Label. This initiative blends indigenous values with modern production and marketing systems. In Watkidat Village, Southeast Maluku Regency, for example, fishermen are trained to use environmentally friendly fishing gear, while women are trained to process seafood into products such as fish floss, crackers, and smoked fish.

These products are marketed through Joint Business Groups (KUB) and labeled “Sasi,” affirming that they originate from sustainably managed zones. The label assures consumers that their purchase contributes to marine conservation and community empowerment.

Women’s Empowerment and Community Resilience

Sasi Label directly impacts women’s empowerment. Previously confined to domestic roles, coastal women now actively participate in the fisheries value chain from production to marketing.

Sri Fanny Mony, Chair of a Women Fishers’ Group, stated that this initiative has opened new economic opportunities for women. Processed products such as fish floss and smoked fish also serve as strategic food reserves during scarcity or adverse weather — a vital element in maintaining family food security amid climate crisis.

Policy Support and Replication Potential

Sasi Label’s success has gained national policy backing, including the Advance Fisher Village program and a 20% Village Fund allocation for food security. Village governments, customary institutions, and religious leaders actively ensure the program's alignment with local values.

In Ambon, Southeast Maluku, and other regions, CFI is developing fish-based products to support the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program and stunting reduction. Items such as fish floss, kaki naga (seafood-based sticked nugget), liquid-smoked fish, and fish jerky are served as high-nutrient foods for school children, extending the program’s impact into health and education.

Toward a Sustainable Food System

Sasi Label is not merely an economic initiative; it’s a transformative model integrating conservation, women’s empowerment, cultural preservation, and market access. It demonstrates that community and customary-based local solutions can address global challenges like climate change and food security.

With multi-stakeholder support, this model holds broad replication potential, positioning coastal communities not as victims of climate change, but as leaders in building a just, resilient, and sustainable food system.

About the project: 

CFI Indonesia, through the GEF-6 grant titled "The Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) in Eastern Indonesia (Fisheries Management Area - FMA 715, 717, & 718) Components A, B, and D", is a collaboration between Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) as the implementing agency and the WWF GEF Agency as the managing institution. This initiative, which began on December 23, 2019, and is scheduled for completion on December 31, 2026, aims to strengthen sustainable coastal fisheries management in the FMA 715, 717, and 718 regions.

Amid the growing impacts of the climate crisis on food security and livelihoods in Eastern Indonesia, CFI Indonesia promotes community-based innovation through the revitalization of Sasi Label—a model that integrates indigenous wisdom, modern production systems, and market access. Implemented across Maluku Tenggara, Seram Timur, and Teluk Wondama, and now expanding to Ambon, Biak Numfor, Kaimana, and Raja Ampat, this initiative empowers small-scale fishers, including women, to adapt to environmental change while enhancing income and resilience. Through training in sustainable fishing, seafood processing, business management, and marketing, Sasi-labeled products have reached modern retail outlets, ensuring that every purchase supports marine conservation and community empowerment. Beyond the economic aspect, Sasi Label reinforces customary-based conservation through Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs), allowing ecosystems to recover while strengthening local food systems and women’s participation. By bridging tradition and innovation, CFI Indonesia demonstrates that conserving marine biodiversity aligns with empowering communities, preserving culture, and building a resilient, sustainable food future.

For more information, please contact [Marsha Maritza]: [mrshmaritza@gmail.com] 

Words by Adipati Rahmat G, Ahadar Tuhuteru and Marsha Maritza.  Photos by CFI Indonesia.