Interrelations of Water and Traditional Food Production

While the government has limitation over the issue of water and sanitation, this does not mean that the Government of Indonesia is not interested in providing water, hygiene and sanitation facilities. In fact, the Ministry of Public Works has expressed interest in contributing to such infrastructure, preferably combined with community mobilization around utilization and maintenance. However, there is an urgent need for coordination, capacity building around participatory planning and implementation, and a demonstrated model of how hardware and software can be integrated across existing government programs. Furthermore, the above effort could also be developed into an idea of a way of creating a sustainable income for the people in the urban poor areas with the support of donors and NGO with their capacity building programs.


The recent development in watsan aid program in Bekasi area has led some of tofu and tempe producers to applied cleaner production process. The programs also educate the community with healthy environment awareness and introduce them to a way to use their own waste disposal such as sludge into a converted biogas. One of the traditional producers has renovated his tofu factory, so that some of equipment has been using stainless steel drum, biogas and steam boilers for tofu production. Access to clean water has provided him with an efficient production process and cleaner waste material. This program sets a standard in bridging capacity building between the local community and local government in clean water & sanitation provision. The program also educate the local traditional food producers to have a healthy environment, hence a competitive products to compete with the modern food.

Tempe and tofu have become staple foods and enjoy widespread acceptance and consumption in Indonesia with increase of consumption up to 5% per annum (Disperindag, 2008). High concentrations of nutrients and protein, low price, and good taste have made these soy-based products a favorite food for most Indonesians.[1] At the same time, tofu and tempe value chains are key to the local economy, serving as a source of income to 85,000 businesses which support approximately 285,000 workers. These MSMEs (micro-, small-, and medium-enterprises) produce low quality tofu and tempe with smoke and liquid waste coming from the tofu and tempe production process that leads to environmental degradation. These traditional producers who mostly located in urban poor areas are common to use ground water which prone to bacteria contamination, due to lack of access of clean, pipe water.