Farmers in Jiwuwu Village have faced severe challenges in seaweed cultivation due to the influence of changes in sea conditions caused by weather, waste, and human behaviour. To overcome this problem, various efforts have been made. One of the efforts made is the development of innovative seaweed cultivation methods, such as the Anaconda method. The aim of this effort is for farmers to have a variety of different seaweed varieties and to continuously test different combinations of methods and varieties to get the right formula. This allows farmers to know which varieties grow well in a given month as well as which methods are right for challenges such as pests, diseases and weather.
Together with Yayasan SHEEP Indonesia (YSI) and Artha Wacana Kupang Christian University (UKAW), the Wuke Rohedui Base Community Organisation (OMB) in Jiwuwu Village conducted a series of activities over 7 months. These activities included discussions, experiments, and observations to test and observe the Anaconda method on Cemara beach, Jiwuwu Village, Central Sabu District. Through this trial using 20 units of waring, they managed to address the main problems related to the maintenance of seaweed seedlings from the threat of pests, ice-ice disease attacks, and west monsoon waves. The positive impact of this effort is not only seen in the increase in seaweed production, but also in the reduction of capital costs for purchasing seaweed seedlings. Previously, farmers had to incur huge costs every post-western season to purchase new seaweed seedlings. However, with the adoption of the Anaconda method, this cost can be minimised, providing a significant economic impact for farmers.
YSI facilitated the Wuke Rohedui OMB in disseminating the Anaconda cultivation practices as an effort to spread good practices from the development of the method so that it can be adopted in other villages. The dissemination of these learning outcomes was held on 6 March 2024 at the Jiwuwu Village Office. The event was attended by various parties consisting of the Jiwuwu, Keliha and Kujiratu village governments, 1 seaweed group from ledeae village, sabu mesara sub-district, 2 groups from Eilogo village, sabu liae sub-district, 13 seaweed farmer groups from Jiwuwu village, and the NGO Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara, including the Regent of Sabu Raijua, Nikodemus N. Rihi Heke, fisheries extension officers, seaweed farming groups, and experts from the UKAW Faculty of Fisheries, Imanuel J. Emola. On the occasion, the Regent expressed the importance of this activity to apply the anaconda method in other fields and villages on a wider scale. Meanwhile, Imanuel emphasised that maintaining the existence of seaweed is not an easy matter, but with collaboration and innovation, these challenges can be overcome.