Country: Indonesia.
Theme of focus: Environmental Sustainability & Climate Action
Sub-theme(s): Coastal Conservation, Sustainable Livelihoods, and Economic Empowerment.
The Problem and Motivation Behind
“Mangroves are seen as just trees protecting the coastline. We saw them as more than that—their fruits could be a source of income, and we wanted to make that happen.” — Adinda
Adinda (20 year old) and her teammates grew up in Pasuruan, a coastal community in East Java region in Indonesia, surrounded by rich mangrove forests. These mangroves are vital for protecting coastlines from erosion, storing carbon, and supporting marine biodiversity, but their economic potential remained untapped.
During COVID-19 pandemic, they witnessed firsthand how COVID-19 pandemic caused severe economic hardship coastal communities, as many businesses closed, jobs were lost, and young people struggled to continue their education. At this point, they realised that they have untapped resource, mangrove fruits, that were left unused, wasting a solution that could support sustainable livelihoods of youth and local housewives.
When Adinda and her team joined Youth Innovation Lab, they saw the opportunity to transform mangrove fruits into sellable products that could offer sustainable livelihoods for youth and housewives in their communities. Through a Design Thinking process, they gather information on how to utilise mangrove fruits, generated ideas for their possible uses. Accordingly, they developed a prototype for transforming mangrove fruits into a caffeine-free coffee product that’s suitable for everyone, from adults to teenagers. They didn’t stop there – the team also developed mangrove-based snacks and batik fabric.
The Innovative Solution
“We realised that the people in our village didn’t know mangrove fruits could be used for something more. That’s when we decided to research and create MOCARO.” — Adinda
When Adinda and her team joined Youth Innovation Lab, they saw the opportunity to transform mangrove fruits into sellable products that could offer sustainable livelihoods for youth and housewives in their communities. Through a Design Thinking process, they gather information on how to utilise mangrove fruits, generated ideas for their possible uses. Accordingly, they developed a prototype for transforming mangrove fruits into a caffeine-free coffee product that’s suitable for everyone, from adults to teenagers. They didn’t stop there – the team also developed mangrove-based snacks and batik[1] fabric.
They designed a sustainable and community-based production process of three main steps:
- Harvesting Mangrove Fruits: Collecting fruits without damaging the ecosystem.
- Processing into Coffee: Transforming the fruits into caffeine-free coffee, suitable for adults and teenagers.
- Product Diversification: Besides coffee, they produce Mangrove Batik fabric and mangrove-based snacks, reducing waste resulting from the production process.
Since 2021, Adinda and her team managed to involve over 150 housewives and 150 youth members in production, generating income for local families and created sustainable jobs. They currently produce approximately 100 kilograms of products monthly, operating on a six-month production cycle, which aligns with the annual harvesting of mangrove fruits. This approach ensures sustainable utilisation without depleting natural resources.
By using mangrove fruits sustainably, MOCARO promotes mangrove restoration and coastal protection. Raising awareness about mangrove conservation has also encouraged the community to value their natural resources more responsibly. “Our products are more than just food and fabric—they represent a movement to protect and value our natural environment.” — Adinda explains.
Through the support of the Youth Innovation Lab, Adinda and her team learned how to develop and market their products effectively. They also gained skills in risk mitigation and networking, which helped them overcome initial scepticism within their community. “Before joining the Lab, we had the idea but lacked confidence. The mentorship and knowledge we gained gave us the courage to push forward.” — Adinda adds.
Lessons Learned from Addressing Challenges
- Overcoming community resistance by hands-on demonstration: Initially, community members doubted whether mangrove coffee was even possible. Some even thought that the team’s idea was unrealistic. Adinda and her team tackled this by conducting community education sessions, offering demonstrations, and allowing people to taste the coffee. Gradually, they built trust and gained local support. “We faced many doubts, but we didn’t give up. Now, people see that mangroves can provide both income and environmental benefits.” — Adinda explains.
- Diversifying products ranges to overcome production limitations: Mangrove fruits are only harvested once a year, leading to a limited six-month production cycle. To address this challenge, the team diversified their product line, including mangrove batik and snacks, which could be produced beyond the fruit harvest period.
- Balancing education and developing their solution by sharing responsibilities and organising tasks: As students, the team found it challenging to balance academic responsibilities with running the business. They overcame this by organising their schedules efficiently and sharing tasks based on individual availability.
- Building Partnerships: Connecting with mentors, local elders, and fellow entrepreneurs through the Youth Innovation Lab helped them gain insights on improving communication and refining their business model.
Next Steps and Future Aspirations
“We want our coffee and batik to tell the story of coastal resilience. If we can do this in Pasuruan, why not in other coastal regions?” — Adinda.
Adinda and her team aim to scale up MOCARO’s impact both locally and nationally. Their vision includes:
- Scaling Beyond Pasuruan: Replicating the MOCARO model in other coastal communities to expand its social and environmental impact.
- Boosting Production Capacity: Finding innovative ways to extend production beyond the six-month cycle.
- Training More Youth and Women: Empowering marginalised groups by teaching them business skills and sustainable practices.
- Tourism and Export Potential: Positioning MOCARO products as unique souvenirs for tourists and exploring international markets.
[1] Batik is a traditional Indonesian dying used in patterns and drawings, typically on fabric and finished textiles.