example of fieldwork report

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Vulnerability of a Fisheries Community Livelihood in Sendang Biru, East Java Province - Indonesia Kiestiko Sri Saptasari / 81325742 Graduate School of Media and Governance KEIO UNIVERSITY Spring Break Fieldwork Report June 2014

Transcript of example of fieldwork report

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Vulnerability of a Fisheries Community Livelihood in Sendang Biru, East Java Province - Indonesia

Kiestiko Sri Saptasari / 81325742

Graduate School of Media and GovernanceKEIO UNIVERSITY

Spring Break Fieldwork ReportJune 2014

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The main goal of this fieldwork is to survey and obtain information about local

fishermen livelihood in Sendang Biru, East Java province – Indonesia that will be used

as the data for master thesis. The primary data is taken from in-depth interview and

participatory observation with local fishermen; while, the secondary data is gathered

from statistical data as well as village / regency office of local government. Sendang

Biru is chosen because this area has a huge potency of fisheries resources in East Java

province and the local fisheries communities is mainly dependent only to fisheries

activities for their livelihood.

The fieldwork schedule is as follow:

Date / Time Activities8th February12.00 – 18.00 (LT) Depart from Narita International Airport, Tokyo to Soekarno –

Hatta Airport, Jakarta9th February11.00 – 12.00 Depart from Jakarta to Malang, East Java province10th February09.30 – 11.30 Getting permission, report and access to conduct research in

Dukuh Sendang Biru – Desa Tambakrejo, Pondok Dadap fishing port from local government

Confirming time of interview with local officers11th February10.00 – 12.00

14.00 – 16.00

Conduct interview with:a. The Head of Service and Human Development Division

related to economic data in Dukuh Sendang Birub. The Head of Information Division related to community

program for Dukuh Sendang BiruCollect secondary data related to local fisheries community in Dukuh Sendang Biru – Desa Tambakrejo

13th February09.00 – 15.00 Go to Brawijaya University to have consultation with

supervisors (Drs. Andi Fefta Wijaya, M.A, Pd.D and Dr. Saleh Soeady)

Input suggestions from Professors regarding the fieldwork plan

Preparing to go to fieldwork site

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14th February06.00 – 09.0009.00 – 10.00

10.00 – 12.00

12.00 – 16.00

Go to Sendang BiruMeeting with the Head of village to inform about staying in the village during the researchObserve community market and auction market condition in the fishing port: vendors, transactions, costumersObserve fish auction and fishing port operations in Pondok Dadap fishing port

15th February07.00 – 11.00

11.00 – 14.00

15.00 – 16.00

(Target 3 respondents)Conduct interview with fishermen and their families in fishing port or their boat with introduction from boat operatorsObserve fishermen housing near the port and conduct interview with fishermen’s wivesDialog with fishermen community members after praying time

16th February Appraisal fishermen community activities in Sunday17th February07.00 – 12.00 Observation and interviews: fish market, community

organization, fishermen’s family activities near the coast and their house

18th February05.00 – 07.00

09.00 – 12.0014.00 – 17.00

(Target 3 respondents)Observe the fish catch loading activities of local fishermen in fishing portConduct interview with local fishermen in fishing port or boatContinue today’s activity

19th February07.00 – 10.0010.30 – 12.0014.00 – 16.00

(Target 3 respondents)Conduct interview with fish traders / buyers in the fishing portConduct interview with local fishermenObserve fishermen housing near the fishing port and conduct interview with the fishermen’s wives

20th February07.00 – 16.00

(Target 3 respondents) Conduct interview with fish traders / buyers in the market Conduct interview with local fishermen in the port Observe fishermen’s families condition

21st February07.00 – 09.00

09.00 – 16.00

(Target 3 respondents)Survey fishermen’s families / wives activities in the morning and conduct interview with green grocer and shop’s ownerConduct interview with fishermen in the port

22nd February Survey and record: what the community do during the off day23rd February Input findings

24th February (Target 3 respondents)

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07.00 – 12.00

14.00 – 16.00

Conduct interview with middleman/ middle woman in the fishing port and observe their activities while waiting the catchesConduct interview with fishermen

25th February07.00 – 12.00

14.00 – 16.00

(Target 3 respondents)Survey and conduct interview with middleman/middle woman about the system between them and fishermenConduct interview with local fishermen in the small shop

26th February07.00 – 12.00

13.00 – 15.0015.00 – 16.00

(Target 3 respondents)Interview with the owner of local fish processing plant near the fishing portInterview with the local fish processing plant workersSurvey the condition of fish processing plant

27th February07.00 – 12.00

13.00 – 15.0015.00 – 16.00

(Target 3 respondents)Interview with the owner of local fish processing plant near the fishing portInterview with the local fish processing plant workersSurvey the condition of fish processing plant

28th February08.00 – 10.0010.30 – 11.3013.00 – 14.00

14.00 ~

(Target 3 respondents)Survey boat and living condition of fishermen in the boatInterview with boat ownerMeet and interview with fishermen community with introduction from the boat ownerInterview with group of ‘penambang’ (boat driver that could take people on their boat for recreational purpose)

1st March Continue input findings2nd March Appraisal fishermen community activities in Sunday

Reformulate some questions3rd March07.00 – 15.00

(Target 4 respondents)Conduct interview with fishermen and their families with revised questions

4th March07.00 – 15.00

(Target 4 respondents)Conduct interview with fishermen and their families with revised questions

5th March Reviewing result findings and secondary data6th March09.00 ~

Go to Brawijaya University and meet the professor again after the fieldwork

Discuss the fieldwork’s result

7th March10.00 ~ Continue reviewing the survey result

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Prepare to go back to Japan8th March13.0023.40 – 09.00 (LT)

Depart to Jakarta from MalangDepart to Japan from Jakarta

9th March Arrive in Japan

Previously, there are two areas to be visited (Sendang Biru and Lamongan)

during the fieldwork in order to compare the local fishermen livelihood in those sites.

However, this spring break fieldwork only focuses on Sendang Biru fisheries

community because of the limited of time and permitting issue. Moreover, local

fishermen in Sendang Biru are not only from this area but also from other areas that can

become the representative of general livelihood condition of fishermen in Indonesia.

Fieldwork A is needed to gather information to support the research writing as

well as to obtain the EI certificate. The purpose of this course is give opportunities for

students to collect important data that are related to the research theme through

fieldwork.

1. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this fieldwork to Sendang Biru, East Java Province – Indonesia

is to collect on site data in order to support my research about a fisheries community

live in the site area, especially focusing on their livelihood activities. Sendang Biru is a

coastal area and it is believed that fisheries community who live in this type of area,

generally, live under the poverty line. Some researchers say that the condition is due to

the community’s characteristics of subsistent condition, small capital, low

technology/skill, psychology and mentality (Susilowati (1991) in Edy Yusuf (2011)1.

The aforementioned are general condition of the fisheries communities.

However, it is important to survey and observe more about the real condition of

fisheries communities’ livelihood in order to answer the question of why fishermen live

under the poverty line. Sendang Biru is chosen because this area has a huge potency of

fisheries resources in East Java province, in which it might provide more income for 1 Agunggunanto, Edy Yusuf. 2011. Analisis Kemiskinan dan Pendapatan Keluarga Nelayan Kasus di Kecamatan Wedung Kabupaten Demak, Jawa Tengah. Indonesia. Jurnal Dinamika Ekonomi Pembangunan, Vol. 1

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fishermen in that area. Therefore, knowing about an area considered has a better

potency instead of other area could give more insight about the livelihood of fisheries

community.

This fieldwork is registered as Fieldwork A for the purpose of gathering

information directly from the fieldwork site to give factual data in the research as well

as to get EI certificate. The purpose of this course is give opportunities for students to

collect important data that are related to the research theme through fieldwork.

2. FIELDWORK IMPLEMENTATION

2.1 PREPARATION BEFORE FIELDWORK

Preparation activities during the fieldwork cover on finding and studying

literature, planning and discussing fieldwork agenda with advisor at Keio University,

and contacting related person in the fieldwork site to get adequate information during

the activities. The preliminary contact is addressed to related officers of local

government and the head of village of Sendang Biru for asking permission to have

fieldwork in the area.

This fieldwork mainly focus on site survey and observation by conducting

personal/group interviews, likert questions, and yes/no questions to fishermen for the

purpose of finding out their livelihood. Besides, document collection such as statistical

data from the local office / government are also taken as secondary data for the research

and support to writing thesis.

2.2 FIELDWORK SITE AT GLANCE

The fieldwork site is in Sendang Biru hamlet, Tambakrejo village,

Sumbermanjing sub district of Malang regency, East Java Province. Sendang Biru is

located in southern part of Malang regency. Geographically, Sendang Biru positioned in

08o22’15” South Latitude and 112o43’32” – 112o47’30” East Longitude bordered by

Kedung Banteng village (North), Indonesia Ocean (South), Tambak Asri village (East),

and Sitiarjo village (West). The research area can be seen in the following figures.

Tambakrejo has hilly topography with medium slope in the height of 50 – 250 m

from the sea level. Part of Sendang Biru is a limestone and rock, on other part is a

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coastline of 50 – 100 m. Sendang Biru beach is a 20 m depth strain; besides, its

direction of outflow is dominantly to the south.

The average temperature in Sendang Biru is 32oc influenced by dry season and

rainfall around 1350 mm/year. In the south part, Sendang Biru is directly connected

with Indonesia Ocean. Fortunately, Sendang Biru has Sempu Island as its natural barrier

to cover the coast from direct ocean waves and this natural condition makes people

come to Sendang Biru.

Figure 1. Map of Sendang Biru, Malang regency, East Java province, Indonesia

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Sendang Biru has its own natural barrier, named Sempu Island, which can

protect the port from direct wave of the Indian Ocean. Therefore, fishing port in

Sendang Biru is relatively safer than other coastal port along the southern part of Java

Island. Because of the above reason, many fishermen from other areas come to Sendang

Biru and become permanent residents in this place. Besides, there were also fishermen

who are only temporary stay in Sendang Biru during the top season since they were

invited by their family or neighbors to help them fishing. Fortunately, there were no

conflicts happen between fishermen in Sendang Biru port.

2.3 DETAIL ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELDWORK SITE

The activities of this fieldwork are related to the purpose of finding out the

fishing community livelihood in Sendang Biru that will be used as the data for the

research topic. Detail activities during the fieldwork are as follows:

1. Visit local government office of Malang Regency (Department of Marine and

Fisheries, Malang District)

The visit to local government office in Malang Regency is for getting permission to

hold a fieldwork activity in Sendang Biru fishing port and to get secondary data

related to the fieldwork site. Besides, interviews are also conducted with some

officers from the Division of Service and Human Development and Information

Division.

Through this visit and interview the government report of economic condition of

fishermen and any programs that the government have given to the fishing

community in Sendang Biru was obtained as the secondary data for the research

writing. Finding out the government report are needed to compare it with fishermen

in factual condition to get valid and reliable data for the research writing.

2. Meeting with the Head of Tambakrejo village

Visit village office is the first way to do to get permission to stay and conduct

fieldwork in their village. At the meeting with the Head of Tambakrejo village, an

interview is conducted to find out any programs that the government has done for

the fishermen in this area. Some of the program that has been implemented and

some new program proposal are:

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a. Training for fishermen to make small boat (implemented)

b. Government aid of fishing equipment such as fishing net (implemented)

c. Relocate fishermen house to safer place (proposal)

According to the Head of village, government has given much assistance for the

fishing community in Sendang Biru. However, he tries to give proposal to the

central government about relocating fishermen’s houses in the safer place than

recent place (along the coast). The reason of relocating the houses is because during

the high tide, those houses might be hit by the ocean’s waves and it means make the

fishermen vulnerable to the natural disaster.

3. Meet local midwife / health worker of the village

There is one midwife / health worker in this village to whom some of the citizens

come to get medical treatment for cough, influenza, fever, or other kind of mild

pain. Interview with local midwife is needed to find out the fishermen’s health

condition whether there are some serious illness has been faced by the fishermen or

not. Fortunately, there were no such kind of disease or illness has been happen in the

village instead of mild pain that commonly occur during the seasonal change from

dry to rainy or vice versa.

4. Survey and observe the fish port and market

Fishermen’s field of work instead of ocean where they fishing, fish port and fish

market is their second work place. The new fishing port has been build by the

government a few months to replace the old port that is unfit to use anymore.

Nevertheless, the fish market provided in this new fishing port has not been used

because sellers and buyers still visit the old fish market located near the old port.

Figure 2. Fish market near the fishing port

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5. Survey and observe fishermen’s houses

The fishermen’s houses are located in the seaside cliff with non-permanent type of

building. Local government would like to relocate their houses because it is

dangerous for them in the cliff during the rainy season. However, people prefer to

stay in this place because it is near the fishing port and fish market so that they do

not need to walk far to work.

6. Survey local fish processing plant

Sendang Biru is not only providing fresh fish to the market (local or other market

outside Sendang Biru), but also steamed fish produced in the fish processing plant.

Steamed fish have longer time to reach market, so it could be sold in other market

such as Malang, Pasuruan, and Surabaya. The workers in fish processing plant are

piece workers and temporary type of labor. They get their salary based on how

Figure 3. Fishermen’s houses condition and small coffee shop in the area

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many steamed fish they could produce. While, temporary type of workers means

workers are working and staying in the plant during the high season because of

abundant amount of fish. However, at other season with low amount of fish, they

have to go back to their hometown because no work is available.

3.

RESULT

3.1 Fishermen as informal economy

Fisheries community in Sendang Biru is categorized as informal economy based

on survey and observation of their daily activities in the fishing port. Their informal

economy includes their employment, transport of catch, and capital access.

a. Their employment

Working as fishermen means having no legal status of their job and do not have job

security (vulnerable to any risk during their fishing activity on the ocean).

b. Transport of catch

In transporting their catches from the boat to the port, there are some porters who

will bring their catches to the middleman in the port. They are also informal workers

because of the same characteristics as fishermen (no legal status). Besides, children

are also picking up dropped-fish and sell it in the market. Children are included to

informal economy because they are not supposed to work in their age.

c. Capital access

It is found that fishermen do not have their own capital to go fishing. They get their

capital from informal loan given by middleman or loan sharks in the area. Because

of the source of capital is from informal loan, it means their activities are included

as informal economy.

Figure 4. Fish processing plant and the workers preparing for the steamed fish

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According to in-depth interviews with fishermen and fishermen’s wives /

families, it is found that fishing community in Sendang Biru is highly dependent on

informal economy (both for their fishing activities and daily consumptions). Their

regular expenses are shown in the following table:

Expenses for fishing activities Expenses for daily needs

Fuel, ice, accommodation of crews,

retribution in the port, porter fee, boat

keeper, bamboo basket rental fee

Food and non food (monthly contribution,

clothing, staying permit, membership,

organization, pay back loan, etc)

Those expenses are mostly received from informal loan since fishermen do not have

their own capital source. Moreover, daily consumption needs are also from informal

loan remembering that the result they get from fishing (as fishermen) or traders under

the middleman could not meet their consumption needs.

3.2 Vulnerability of fishermen in Sendang Biru

This fieldwork is used to gather information directly from the target respondents

of the research to obtain on-site and factual data for the research. Based on this

fieldwork it is found that fishing community in Sendang Biru, East Java province is

vulnerable in the following condition:

a. Low education level

Fig 7. Children sold their dropped-fish to the buyer with cheap price

Fig 6. A child picks the dropped-fish up in the port

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Most fishermen do not finish elementary school or even not go to school.

Previously, the local government provided special program of read and write for

fishermen who are illiterate. However, fishermen could not optimally use the program

as the target of program. It is believed that education level can improve people life since

they could utilize any opportunity given to them properly. In contrary, fishermen with

low education level could not do other activities instead of what they used to; thus, it is

difficult for them to stop from being poor. Government might also introduce the

education group equal to formal school grade for those who want to get higher

education. But because fishermen are a long time work (more than a week in the sea),

most of fishermen do not have enough time to join the program and it could not reach

its goal to improve community education level.

Children are also do not go to school because they have their own mindset that

they will become fishermen as their parent. Besides, since children are also working in

the fishing port by picking dropped-fish in the port and sell it in the market, they could

earn their own money. Thinking that they already earn money, children do not want to

go to school. Other reason may occur that the children need to help their parents to give

additional income for the family, and if they go to school they might not be able to earn

more income for them.

b. High dependent on informal employment

Through this fieldwork, it is found that middleman play an important role in the

activities of fishing community in Sendang Biru. Middleman is person that providing

capital for fishermen’s fishing activities. Consequently, the fishermen should sell their

catches to the middleman with lower price than in the market. Fishermen do not have

any option since catches is non-durable goods and have to be sold immediately to keep

the freshness of the fish for consumers.

Actually, middleman is member of the same fishing community but having

better income and welfare. Middleman in Sendang Biru is mostly woman. It can be said

that it is the way to maintain their activities by having middleman to sell their catches to

the market, since ordinary fishermen do not have education and access to do it by

themselves. However, the relation between middleman and fishermen is not in equal

way. Fishermen who are vulnerable to any risk during their fishing activities on the

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ocean only get the smallest portion of the profit sharing compared to middleman.

Furthermore, to support their family income, fishermen’s wives / families are also

dependent to middleman by working as fish vendors in the fish market. This condition

make fishermen could not get out of the dependency relation to the middleman and

trapped in the poverty cycle.

The profit sharing between fishermen and middleman is 50:50 from the amount

of catches based on the price fixed by middleman. It shows that middleman get half

portion of the profit for their own, while another half should be shared again with all

crews at that time. Roughly calculated, fishermen only get a very small amount of

income for their 10-15 days fishing on the ocean and 25-30 crews in one fishing time.

c. Seasonal type of work only and no fixed income

The activities of fishing community are depending on the natural condition of

the seas and wind. There are 3 season in fishing activities:

1. Low season: is the time in which the fish production is very low, usually during

December – March

2. Mid season: is the time when fish production start to increase, usually during the

month of April – June

Fig 9. Fishermen/porters bring catches to the port where middleman already waiting

Fig 8. Middleman waiting for catches at port

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3. Top season: highest fish production time, also called as Panen Raya, usually

during July - December

Because of the seasonal type of work, it can be said that fishermen have no fixed

income every month or even do not get any income during the low season. This

condition becomes the crucial factor of poverty cycle that are the poverty itself,

vulnerability and powerlessness.

In low season, most respondents said that they do not do any income-generated

activities since they could not going fishing and have no other skill instead of fishing.

Some fishermen make or repair their boat in the low season to get ready going fishing

when the top season coming. Some others repair they fishing net or bait and also clean

their boat after used to fishing several times in the better season. However, most

fishermen make this low season as the time for them to take a rest and do nothing after

working so hard in the previous season. Those fishermen who are do nothing usually

just sitting around their boat or sitting on the coast. Besides, they are also chatting or

playing card with other fishermen.

d. Loan Dependency

Majority of fishermen / fishermen’ families in Sendang Biru, Malang regency –

East Java province are dependent on informal loans, that are from middleman and loan

Fig 10. Fishermen do nothing during the low season

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sharks. They are borrowing from one moneylender to pay other loan in other

moneylenders. Therefore, it can be said that fishing community in Sendang Biru could

not get out from the poverty trap in their livelihood.

Compared to other sector of economy, informal economy is the one who are not

recognized by the formal bank. Fishermen in Sendang Biru could not borrow money

from formal institutions such as bank because of their characteristics of low education

level and no access to those kinds of facilities. On the other hands, middleman and loan

shark are able to access loan from formal economy with lower interest than the amount

of interest they give to the fishermen.

Based on the abovementioned result that fishermen do not have their own capital

for their fishing and daily consumption needs expenses, informal loan is the only choice

they have to fulfill their need. The high interest of informal loan, which is

approximately 30% from the base loan, do not burdening them as long as they could get

the loan easily without any complicated procedures. The duration to pay back the loan is

usually around 1 – 2 weeks and they could pay the loan in installments.

4. CONCLUSION

According to the result of fieldwork activities in the fishing community in

Sendang Biru, East Java province – Indonesia about the vulnerability of fishermen

livelihood, it can be concluded that fishermen in Sendang Biru is vulnerable because of

their low level of education, seasonal type of work only that derives to the non fixed

income, and their high dependency to informal economy in their community (that is

informal loan, from both middleman and loan sharks, with high interest rate).

For further analysis about their dependency to informal economy, it can be

summarized that:

Middleman almost total control the fishing community livelihood because they are

the central of fishermen’s informal economy arrangement

Middleman provide financial cost and job for fishermen and their families, as well

as giving loans when needed

Fishermen in fishing community in Sendang Biru could not go out from the poverty

cycle because of the informal economy in their livelihood

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