July 6, 2026 · Research

Field Notes: Mapping Livelihood Systems Along the West Coast of Aceh

Our research team has completed the first phase of participatory mapping across twelve coastal villages between Meulaboh and Calang. The study documents how fisher households combine capture fisheries, smallholder plantations, and seasonal wage labour to sustain their livelihoods.

Why it matters

Livelihood data at the village level remains scarce in post-tsunami, post-conflict Aceh. Without it, provincial programmes tend to be designed from the capital — far from the households they intend to serve.

Good policy begins with ground truth: evidence gathered close to the people it concerns.Tridā Research Team

The full working paper, instruments, and anonymised dataset will be published on this site in the coming months.