Inside the clean-tech innovation that’s powering impact in rural communities in Eastern Indonesia.

In Kawa, a remote fishing village in Maluku, a solar-powered ice maker is helping small-scale fishers overcome one of their biggest challenges: reliable refrigeration.

The project has been made possible by supportive multistakeholder partnerships. Installed in late 2024 through a partnership between IPNLF, GIZ Indonesia & ASEAN, PT ASTB, DKP Maluku, and AIREF, and endorsed by Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP). UNDP’s Ocean Innovation Challenge selected IPNLF to develop the solar ice maker in 2022.

Thanks to Frank Stegmüller and Shannon Hardisty for sharing their perspectives on the reasons for the project’s success.