Consuming Fish Can Prevent Stunting
Malnutrition in children is still a worrying problem. Data from the 2022 Indonesian Nutrition Status Survey (SSGI) shows that the prevalence of stunting among toddlers in Indonesia is 21.6%. This figure is still far from the target set by the government, namely 14% in 2024.
Stunting is a condition where children experience suboptimal physical growth due to chronic malnutrition. Adequate nutritional intake is very important for children’s growth and development. Therefore, there is a need to increase nutritional interventions, one of which is consuming fish regularly. Check out the following review to find out the benefits of consuming fish in preventing stunting.
Benefits of Consuming Fish in Preventing Stunting
Why Can Consuming Fish Prevent Stunting?
Fish is a source of high quality animal protein and contains various essential amino acids needed by the body. Protein plays an important role in supporting children’s physical growth, including bones, muscles and other body tissues. Amino acids are also needed to activate enzymes and growth hormones.
Regular consumption of fish, namely 2-3 times per week, can contribute to preventing stunting. In Indonesia, fish is a food source that is easy to obtain and the price is affordable. People can consume various types of nutritious local fish, such as mackerel, tuna, tuna and mackerel.
Children who are given the best nutritional intake in the first 1000 days of life, or from the time they are in the womb until the age of 2 years, have the potential not to become stunted. On the other hand, malnutrition during this period can increase the risk of stunting which has an impact on children’s quality of life.
Fish Consumption in Indonesia
The national fish consumption figure (MMR) will reach 56.48 kilograms per capita in 2022. In that year, on average each individual consumed 56.48 kilograms of fish in one year. This data includes various types of fish, both freshwater fish and marine fish.
However, this number still needs to be increased. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has set the national MMR target in 2024 to be 62.05 kilograms per capita. The increase in fish consumption shows that people are increasingly aware of the importance of adequate nutritional intake, so that it can prevent stunting.
The Role of the KKP in Stunting Prevention Efforts
KKP has the GEMARIKAN program (Fish Eating Popularization Movement) which aims to increase fish consumption for the Indonesian people. It is hoped that this program can encourage people to use fish as the main source of protein to meet nutritional needs. To support the implementation of this program, cooperation is needed involving various components of society, including families.
Families have an important role in supporting the GEMARIKAN program. Serve delicious and attractive fish in the daily menu so that children like to eat fish. Choose fish and seafood that comes from sustainable sources to support fisheries sustainability. Apart from that, monitor your child’s growth regularly so you can detect potential stunting early.
Fish consumption plays an important role in preventing stunting. That is why, every individual needs to consume fish regularly, especially pregnant women and children. Consuming local fish can also support the sustainability of fisheries so that fish remains an affordable food source for Indonesian people in the future.
Aruna invites the entire community to increase fish consumption in the family to support children’s growth and development. With regular consumption of fish, Indonesian children will grow up to be healthy, intelligent and not stunted.
Let’s eat fish so that Indonesian children are free from stunting!
Fish Floss Processing by Coastal Women in Selayar as Fisheries Downstreaming
The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) targets a 4-6% increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the fisheries sector by 2023. To achieve this target, MMAF continues to promote the utilization of marine resources, including through downstreaming. Fisheries downstreaming is the process of converting raw fish products into processed products with higher added value.
One successful example of fisheries downstreaming is the production of fish floss in the Selayar Islands, South Sulawesi. The fish floss is produced by the Kembang Dahlia Group, coastal women from Mekarindah Village in the Selayar Islands.
Fish Floss Production by Kembang Dahlia Group
Eleven coastal women are part of the Kembang Dahlia Group. Initially, fish floss was only produced on a small scale. Over time, their business continued to grow and became more successful. Their products are not only marketed around Selayar but also in various regions of Indonesia, such as Jakarta, Kendari, Makassar, and Kalimantan. The fish floss is sold for Rp15,000 per 100-gram pack.
Each week, the Kembang Dahlia Group produces fish floss twice. The production process takes about 9 hours per session. Rosmina, from the Kembang Dahlia Group, explained that the entire process of making fish floss is done independently, from sourcing raw materials to packaging.
The high-quality fish floss is securely and attractively packaged. The raw materials for fish floss production are obtained from local fishermen in three nearby hamlets, including Saburangiah, Bansiang, and Alasah.
Fisheries Potential in the Selayar Islands
The waters of the Selayar Islands have abundant fish resources, especially skipjack tuna, mackerel tuna, and tuna. These fish have high economic value and are in demand in the market. This fisheries potential can be optimized through the development of processed fish products, such as fish floss production.
Fish floss businesses have the potential to be sustainable because fish floss has a long shelf life and is easy to distribute. Fish floss can be stored for 6 months to 1 year if properly stored. Fish floss is also compact and not easily damaged, making distribution easy.
Positive Impact of Fisheries Downstreaming
Fisheries downstreaming has had a positive impact on coastal communities in the Selayar Islands, one of which is creating job opportunities for coastal women. This shows that coastal women can also increase their productivity and improve family economies. The fish floss business has provided additional income for coastal communities.
Furthermore, fisheries downstreaming can also increase the added value and competitiveness of fish products. Fish floss has a higher market value compared to raw fish. Selayar Islands’ Fish Floss has been marketed outside the city and even beyond the island.
As a sustainable fisheries company, Aruna appreciates the efforts of the Kembang Dahlia Group in developing fish floss products. The fish floss produced by the Kembang Dahlia Group is a real example of how fisheries downstreaming can have a positive impact on society and the environment.
Maritime Foundation and Aruna are also committed to empowering medium, small, and micro coastal community businesses, especially those involved in fish product processing. Let’s support local fisheries businesses by buying their products. In doing so, we contribute to improving the welfare of coastal communities and the sustainability of fisheries resources.