SAWANG LAUT -- Sawang Laut fishermen who are members of the Batu Tuan Joint Business Group (KUB) of Sawang Laut Village continue to develop to carry out mangrove nurseries.
This mangrove nursery is an effort to advance the group. They continue to develop this after gaining additional knowledge while participating in the training conducted by PT Timah Tbk.
One of the members of KUB Batu Tuan, Aizar said, after training the fishermen group KUB Batu Tuan tried to invite other colleagues to cultivate this mangrove nursery.
"Because we have lived on the beach since childhood and know about mangrove trees, plus the training provided by PT Timah. So we don't have too much trouble cultivating this mangrove nursery," he said.
He is grateful that since two years of doing mangrove nurseries with the support of PT Timah Tbk, their business is growing so that it can become a new source of income to improve the family's economy.
"PT Timah itself always buys mangrove seeds from our cultivation, if they are going to plant as an effort to preserve the environment and reduce abrasion on the shoreline," he said.
One of the housewives, Elisa, who was involved in carrying out a mangrove nursery said she was happy to be able to help her husband's work.
"When my husband is at sea and we are not working at home, we take care of these mangrove seedlings and this can be used as additional income," she said.
He said that recently PT Timah Tbk also purchased thousands of mangrove seedlings that they cultivate.
"We are happy and more excited to continue developing the mangrove nursery cultivation business because there are buyers. Hopefully, it's not just PT Timah who plant mangroves, there are other parties or other agencies that will carry out mangrove planting activities and can buy seeds from our place," she said.
Meanwhile, the Management of KUB Batu Tuan Fisherman, Sawang Laut Village, Supriyanto, explained that until now only PT Timah's commitment to the environment is very high. Efforts are being made such as planting mangroves around the beach in West Kundu District, installing abrasion planting embankments.
"As we know there are many benefits that we will feel in the future from planting mangroves that we are doing now. Hopefully, later there will be many parties who have a concern for the environment. If we need mangrove seeds, we are ready to support them at affordable prices," he said.*
