In coastal regions like Indramayu, one of West Java’s largest fish-producing areas, an uncomfortable paradox persists: protein-rich marine resources are abundant, yet child malnutrition remains a chronic challenge. Across the province, stunting rates in many districts still hover between 10 and 20 percent. The contradiction becomes sharper when considering that low-value fish such as slipmouths or locally known as pepetek and other bycatch species, rich in protein and micronutrients, often go unsold or are discarded due to low market demand.

For many coastal families, especially women involved in sorting and selling the catch, this disconnect means two daily realities: fishers unable to secure a stable income from their harvest, and children lacking access to nutritious food.

Estimates indicate that 20–35 percent of fish harvested nationally is lost after landing, driven by limited cold-chain infrastructure, weak handling practices, and inadequate processing facilities. Much of this loss includes nutrient-dense bycatch species that could otherwise support nutrition and livelihoods.

This reality prompted Khodijah A Zahir, a Nutritionist graduate, to join Berikan Protein, a science-driven social enterprise founded in 2021 that has since grown into a community-focused innovation hub to tackle malnutrition by transforming undervalued bycatch into Fish Protein Hydrolysate (FPH), a highly digestible, amino-acid–rich powder extracted through an enzymatic process like natural digestion. Because FPH can be derived from nearly any fish species, including low-value fish, it creates new pathways for improving nutrition while supporting coastal livelihoods. Berikan Protein uses FPH as the base ingredient for fortified products, including nutrient-rich biscuits designed to support child nutrition in coastal communities.

Scaling Innovation Through ABIC

Berikan Protein found an opportunity to advance its work through the ASEAN Blue Innovation Challenge (ABIC), funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by UNDP under the guidance of the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. The program supported early-stage blue innovators in strengthening their technologies, refining community engagement models, and identifying pathways to scale.  

Through ABIC, the team enhanced its FPH extraction method, developed Standard Operating Procedures to ensure consistency and food safety, and piloted three FPH-fortified product prototypes. The seed funding and incubation program provided by ABIC also strengthened their collaboration with women’s groups, equipping fisherwives with skills to handle, preprocess, and produce FPH fortified products.

“ABIC pushed us to see beyond the product,” Khodijah said. “It helped us understand how to build impact by strengthening community skills, reducing waste, and creating nutrition solutions.”

With mentorship and technical guidance, they improved their extraction methods, stabilized production batches, and piloted nutrition products. They later shifted focus to FPH-fortified biscuits, gluten-free and dairy-free, distributed through community health centers and quickly gaining traction among young mothers and fitness communities as they started selling their products on online marketplace. In just four months, sales reached nearly 2,000 packs, proving that locally sourced protein could stand strong in modern markets.

Expanding Partnerships, Deepening Impact

After completing the program, Berikan Protein expanded its partnerships to deepen community impact, collaborating on local nutrition interventions and strengthening the skills of women groups involved in fish processing. Local governments, from Indramayu to stunting-priority districts like Kutai Kartanegara, also began exploring how FPH-based products could complement their broader nutrition strategies.

As their work grew, so did the complexity. Scaling meant more than increasing volume; it required developing robust SOPs, meeting food safety requirements, helping communities adopt new processing techniques, and navigating market access. These challenges highlighted the need for continuous refinement and strong technical foundations.  To move through this phase, the team relied on their research and development capacity.

“Our strength has always been our research and development team,” Khodijah said. “Around 30 percent of our operational budget goes into research and development so we can keep improving our processes and ensure every solution we build stays practical, community-driven, and scientifically sound.”

Today, Berikan Protein operates a daily production capacity of up to one ton of FPH, supplying an expanding range of fortified products. Working with partners in Belitung, Bintan, Kutai Kartanegara, and Indramayu, they continue building models that integrate nutrition, livelihood resilience, and sustainable value chains, ensuring that low-value fish can bring high value to the communities that rely on them.

A Local Initiative Powering Inclusive Blue Economies

Berikan Protein’s journey reflects what ABIC set out to achieve: empowering local innovators to build sustainable, community-centered business models that strengthen inclusive blue economy ecosystems. Supported by Japan and delivered through ASEAN-UNDP collaboration, initiatives like Berikan Protein demonstrate how undervalued blue resources can become high-impact innovations, ensuring coastal communities thrive, and nothing from the ocean goes to waste. 

Written by: Anastasia Weningtias

Edited by: Thomas Benmetan