The design of sustainable seaweed industry cluster development model

Abstract

The application of cluster approach is performed to further utilize and develop seaweed industry to become an integrated, powerful industry from upstream to downstream and highly competitive one. The purpose of this research was to design a model of seaweed industry cluster development by using economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainable development approach. This model was composed of three key sub-models, i.e.: diagnosis of feasibility of development, operations development, and prediction of performance development. The model formulation used both of soft and hard system methodology. This research produced a decision support system named Model KlasteRula, which used a programming language called Visual Basic Version 6. This model can be used to assist in the decision making process of sustainable seaweed industry cluster development. The model design was implemented in Sumenep district, East Java province. From the result of model implementation, it showed that the model has been able to perform simulations and produced behaviors that match the expected system. Sustainable seaweed industry cluster development was predicted to be able to enhance profits of business actors in the cluster, increase labor absorption, and suppress potential environmental pollution caused by agro-industry liquid waste through the recycling process, so as to increase water-use efficiency.