Challenges

Current fishing practices produce many greenhouse gas emissions from fish and ice distribution using diesel-powered vessels and ice-making powered by diesel generators. 

In the fishery sector, the availability of ice blocks is necessary. It can help the fisherman keep their catches fresh and worth selling. Unfortunately, in several coastal areas – for instance, in Bari Village, East Nusa Tenggara – they do not have any electricity. They cannot produce ice blocks themselves and so, fishermen in this area must go to Labuan Bajo – a 3-hour boat ride away – to buy ice blocks. This is a costly and GIHG-producing trip.  

Additionally, the conventional fish storage systems cause the catch to rot and become waste. The current fish production and storage system is unsustainable for the people of Bari, as they rely on a pipeline from a previous charity project that has been negatively impacted by land clearing, with water only flowing once every two weeks.   

Solutions

Komodo Water is a social enterprise providing integrated water management solutions for remote coastal areas. They plan to develop an ice production system to support the fisheries sector in these areas.    

Komodo Water will use solar water pumps and solar-powered ice block production machines. They plan to install a bigger capacity ice block in Bari village and the neighboring regions. The system will use renewable energy, namely solar radiation, an abundant resource in East Nusa Tenggara. Water, as a raw material, will be obtained using a solar water pump. They target selling ice blocks to traditional fishermen who use small conventional boats that need ice to keep the fish fresh and reduce waste. In addition, the company will distribute ice blocks without the use of plastic for packaging.