Economic Solutions for the Struggle to Save Sangihe Ikekendage in North Sulawesi 

The Save Sangihe Ikekendage (SSI) Association is a social movement born from the concerns of the Sangihe community. Since 2021, they have been fighting against gold mining activities carried out by large capital interests. The movement succeeded in halting gold mining activities by revoking the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources' (ESDM) Decree regarding the mining company's operational permit. However, despite the revocation of the operational permit, the company is still trying to continue its activities. Therefore, the community, through the SSI Association, continues the fight.

Over the years of struggle, countless amounts of money have come from their own pockets. Meanwhile, this struggle has also taken a toll on community income and, of course, on family burdens. To maintain balance, meet family needs and continue the struggle, strengthening and increasing the income of SSI Association members is necessary.

This effort is carried out by optimizing agricultural and marine products because it is related to the profession of the SSI Association members who are predominantly farmers and fishermen. In the agricultural sector, the SSI Association grows chilies and corn. They also process sago into rolled cookies and sell them in packages. Meanwhile, for marine products, the SSI Association cultivates fish using the floating net cage (KJA) method. This program provides the SSI Association with a way out for income that they can generate collectively also from horticultural crops and fisheries cultivation in member villages covering an area of ​​​​1785 hectares with a population of 855 men, 816 women, and 557 young people. The initiatives implemented by the SSI Association not only preserve regional specialties but also are able to continue the struggle to defend the region from gold mining.