Livelihood Strategies of the Bajo Fishing Community in the Outbreak of COVID-19 (Study of Bajo People in Salabangka Island of Central, Sulawesi, Indonesia)

ABSTRACT

This study aims to find out how Sama Bajo fishermen adapt to the seasonal moonson and environmental changes in the midst of the Corona Virus Desease (Covid-19) outbreak. The research conducted in one of the villages in the Salabangka Archipelago, precisely on Paku Island which is one of the largest islands in the Salabangka archipelago of Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. The study utilyzed the principle of a livelihood approaches. The adaptation strategies observed include;livelihood diversification, business intensification, utilization of social networks, asset sales and mortgages. The results showed that some of Sama Bajo fishermen carried out adaptation strategies, several livelihood adaptation strategies that were previously quite effective in overcoming the decline in income due to seasonal changes, currently could not be fully relied to tackle stress and shock. The development of several multinational mining investment activities on land has also resulted in pollution that affects the loss of seaweed cultivation which was previously become the mainstay of fishermen in times of famine. This situation has caused some Sama Bajo fishermen, especially the younger generation who have studied up to university to consider trying new livelihoods on land that were previously rarely done by Bajo fishermen. © 2023 WITPress. All rights reserved.