Enviro News Asia, Medan – Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) has strengthened its commitment to global mangrove research by supporting the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) program led by the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) and Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) to enhance mangrove blue carbon management through Nature-based Solutions (NbS).
The initiative was highlighted during a visit by delegates from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and JIRCAS to USU on August 3, 2026, as part of the Detailed Planning Survey conducted from July 27 to August 12, 2026. The survey aims to finalize project preparations, confirm implementation readiness, and strengthen collaboration between Indonesian and Japanese research institutions before the project officially begins.
The Japanese delegation, consisting of Kegasa Takahiro and Okuda Takahiro from JICA, along with Prof. Rempei Suwa from JIRCAS, was received by USU Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Cooperation, Prof. Dr. Eng. Himsar Ambarita, and researchers from the university’s Mangrove Center of Excellence led by Prof. Mohammad Basyuni.
The five-year international project, scheduled to run from mid-2027 to 2032, is titled “Project for Advancing Nationally Determined Contributions Targets through Innovative Mangrove Blue Carbon Management as a Nature-based Solution.” BRIN will serve as the implementing agency, while USU will act as a co-implementing agency alongside Syiah Kuala University, Halu Oleo University, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Forestry, and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.
USU will lead Output 2 of the project, focusing on developing regional approaches for effective mangrove conservation and restoration. Its responsibilities include designing restoration techniques for difficult-to-restore mangrove sites, developing site-specific conservation and restoration packages, and implementing ecological restoration technologies suited to Indonesia’s coastal environments.
Beyond restoration activities, USU researchers will contribute to multidisciplinary working groups covering blue carbon monitoring, biodiversity assessment, environmental DNA (eDNA) applications, Geographic Information System (GIS)-based monitoring, mangrove restoration, and science-based policy recommendations for sustainable coastal ecosystem management.
The project also involves collaboration with leading Japanese research institutions, including the University of Tokyo, Institute of Science Tokyo, Kyoto University, the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI), and Sumitomo Forestry.
SATREPS is an international cooperation program supported by JICA and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) that promotes scientific collaboration, technological innovation, research capacity building, and global research networks. The program addresses strategic issues such as climate change, environmental sustainability, renewable energy, and biodiversity conservation.
USU expects the collaboration to strengthen its position as one of Indonesia’s leading tropical mangrove research centers while supporting evidence-based policymaking, sustainable coastal ecosystem management, and Indonesia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The planning phase will conclude with the signing of the Minutes of Meeting (MoM), followed by the preparation of the Record of Discussions (R/D), which is scheduled to be finalized virtually on August 10, 2026, before project implementation begins in 2027. (*)
