Dependent on Aid? An Evaluation on Economic Resilience of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Cultivation in Five Strategic Corridors on East Coast of North Sumatra
- AIOR Admin
- 7 hours ago
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Erond Litno Damanik, Suci Pujiastuti, Maya Oktora, Glori Indira D. Purba, Murni E. Marlina, Annisa Carolin Sebayang, Mhd. Ricky Ardiansyah Putra
Universitas Negeri Medan
This study aims to explore the impact of an aid program on the dependency and resilience of self-sufficient tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) farmers across five strategic corridors on the East Coast of North Sumatra: Pangkalan Susu, Medan Belawan, Percut Seituan, Teluk Mengkudu, and Tanjungbalai. In order to achieve the stated objective, a mixed approach was adopted, collecting data through observation, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and a survey of 100 respondents. The obtained results debunk the general thesis by empirically showing that “waiting for aid” is a rational choice for farmers aiming to mitigate the financial risk of harvest failure arising from coastal ecological vulnerability. During the course of this study, it was observed that the input-oriented aid scheme from 2020 to 2025 triggered acute atrophy of local initiatives, characterized by high dependency on subsidized feed and low independent capital accumulation. Consequently, the resulting surge in production creates a false sense of well-being, as the resilience of independent community efforts quickly collapses and ponds are abandoned when the material intervention project ends. The novelty of this exploration arises from an emancipatory, capacity-oriented policy transition strategy that institutionalizes independent feed units based on local raw materials and establishes coastal microfinance cooperatives to break the middlemen's grip and build sustainable economic independence for coastal communities of North Sumatra.
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