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Indonesia

COREMAP

The Coral Reefs, Marine Resources, Assessment, Integrating Participants (COREMAP) in Eastern Indonesia is funded by the Australian Government aid agency, AusAID. One of the key findings of COREMAP’s survey for the Safety and Survival of fishers was the discovery through needs assessment that many artisanal fishers are ex-copra farmers or the children thereof and have taken to the sea with little knowledge. And that getting them back to seeing the coconut as a viable income source has the potential to assist sustainability of the marine resource.

CoconutThe COREMAP project  has raised the issue of coral reef destruction from over fishing and unsustainable fishing techniques and that management and rehabilitation programs are needed to bring back the coral reefs to its abundant state. The burning of mangroves and other foreshore species, such as for drying copra, caused erosion that leached into the reefs killing the reef and and subsequently the fish stocks that used the reefs for a habitat. The 15 year Project began in 1998. Kokonut Pacific provides sustainable  industry for coastal dwellers particularly on remote islands where the more remote the area, the more profitable the produce eliminating the need for importing a number of products including diesel fuel and avoiding high freight costs.

trees survive well right up to the waters edge in salty conditions and halt erosion and the entire DME process uses only the coconut shells and husks for fuel to provide a sustainable income  from coconut  oil and all the downstream products thus allowing the reefs to recover and fish stocks to build up.

In addition to the production of DME Virgin Coconut Oil, the Installation and Training Course covered the making of soap, coconut cream, shell charcoal, and making a local sauce called Kecap manis from coconut water.

Makassar, South Sulawesi

In 2003 the first unit was installed at Makassar.  After training on his return to Jakarta, COREMAP’s area manager, Robert Kingham, wrote:

“I've just returned from Makassar, wildly impressed with the development there — and seeing a bunch of comparative city slickers getting down with farmers and island people doing a good days work. One of the best on-the-job training activities I have ever seen, and all that credit goes to Chris and Kanta. An excellent Asia-Pacific exchange. Thank you.”

Selayar Island

The first unit was installed on Selayer Island in 2004 and an extension worker system set up to service the remote farmers. Selayar Isalnd is a remote vestige of sultans and spice trading days and it has changed very little since then. It's not on the beaten tourist track and pirates are still a problem in the straight to the north of the island.

Flores Island

An explorative team was requested to Flores in 2004 and subsequently and unit was set up there and followed up with the extension service from Makassar.

Bali

DME Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is now being in Bali, Indonesia, at the Bali Appropriate Technology Institute (BATI) A training center set up by Rus Alit, a highly skilled and experienced appropriate technology practitioner from Bali, who has worked as an international consultant for NGOs in most of the developing countries of the world. For many years he worked for World Vision (Australia).

With financial help from the SMEC (Snowy Mountains Electricity Corporation) Foundation and TEAR Australia, a DME Unit was commissioned  in August 2004 as is now (2010) being run by Rus's grown children.

Pide, Aceh, after the tsunami

Following the  tsunami in Aceh the Indonesian team went to Aceh and installed a unit at Pide that has now become a place of hope for the local youth and one of the most successful installations in Indonesia. Just 2 months after it gave traumatized youth  something to do – somewhere warm to sleep even attracted local government attention and gave the youth back their self esteem – as well as oil, soap, fuel and other local needs. There are now 6 units in Indonesia, one in Aceh, one in the mountains of Bali, one on the island of Flores, one on the island of Selayar and two on Sulawesi.