Aquaculture Revolution with AI Technology: eFishery Aids Indonesian Shrimp and Fish Farmers

Jakarta, INTI – As the sun rose, shrimp farmer Andriyono inspected one of his 16 ponds on the south coast of Central Java. Carefully, he pulled a circular net from the water, checking for leftover feed to ensure his shrimp were eating well. Satisfied with the results, he lowered the net back into the dark water.

Checking for leftover feed is crucial for monitoring shrimp health. Uneaten feed can indicate problems such as disease, lack of oxygen, or high pH levels in the water. The residue itself also negatively impacts water quality, potentially leading to sick or dead shrimp within days.

Shrimp are highly sensitive creatures. "If one shrimp gets a virus, the entire shrimp farm could die," said Elsa Vinietta, Head of Aquaculture Platform and AI for eFishery, a startup aiming to modernize aquaculture. Diseases can quickly spread through water or birds drinking from different ponds.

When managed well, a shrimp farm’s survival rate can increase from 60% to 90%, Vinietta added.

Recently, Andriyono started using a generative AI assistant named Mas Ahya to keep his shrimp healthy. Mas Ahya, combining the words "expert" and "cultivation," is accessible via a mobile app and is a pilot project by eFishery, using Microsoft Azure OpenAI to enhance aquaculture expertise.

Since transitioning from rice farming to shrimp farming 10 years ago, Andriyono has quintupled his income. "Since using Mas Ahya, I know the water quality every second. I can also better estimate market prices," said Andriyono, 39. "Mas Ahya makes everything faster."

Aquaculture Boom

Half of the world's seafood now comes from aquaculture. In 2020, out of 178 million tons of seafood produced globally, 49% came from aquaculture, according to a FAO report. Indonesia is the world's third-largest aquaculture producer, after China and India, with a 7% global share.

The Indonesian government has ambitious targets to further expand this sector. However, environmental degradation is a serious issue, necessitating more sustainable farming methods.

eFishery, founded in 2013 by Gibran Huzaifah, aims to modernize traditional fish and shrimp farming. Now serving 200,000 farmers and valued at $1.4 billion USD, the company provides financing for feed and infrastructure, paid post-harvest. Data from automated eFeeders and water quality monitoring systems are presented in the eFarm app to help farmers monitor their ponds.

Last year, eFishery began using Azure IoT to collect and analyze data in real time. Mas Ahya, developed with Azure OpenAI Service, allows farmers to access data and insights to maximize production.

Technology Supporting Sustainability

In Paremono village, an hour from Yogyakarta, Ira Nasihatul Husna and her husband Purwanto manage a tilapia farm. Last year, they installed eFeeders and water quality monitors connected to the eFarm app. More precise and even feeding has shortened the time from fry to market size from four to three and a half months.

In February, Ira started using Mas Ahya. She can now check water quality and feed status anytime, anywhere. When she asked how to deal with fungus on tilapia, Mas Ahya suggested adding quicklime to reduce water acidity, complete with dosage instructions.

Shrimp farmer Andriyono also benefits from this technology. Before using eFeeders, he fed his shrimp manually four times a day. Now, eFeeders distribute feed continuously from 6 AM to 6 PM, helping shrimp grow faster. "My plan is to export all shrimp because the value is higher," said Andriyono.

eFishery's Future Goals

eFishery aims to help Indonesian fish and shrimp farmers adopt more sustainable practices and gain certification from global organizations like Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) and Seafood Watch. Mas Ahya will play a key role in providing information on sustainability and certification processes.

The eFishery team also plans to incorporate images, videos, and other formats into Mas Ahya using Azure OpenAI Service GPT-4 Turbo with Vision.

Focusing on sustainability and technology makes aquaculture appealing to the younger generation. "Young people want to join the eFishery movement," said Romi Witjaksono, a 24-year-old product manager for Mas Ahya.

To showcase more innovations in technology and aquaculture, eFishery will participate in Indonesia Technology and Innovation 2024 (INTI 2024) at JI-EXPO from August 12-14, 2024. INTI is Indonesia’s largest technology and innovation exhibition, featuring the latest innovations in technology and aquaculture. More information is available at https://inti.asia.