Ecobiz.asia – The Aceh Tamiang administration, climate technology company Fairatmos and Mandala Katalika (Manka) have signed a cooperation agreement to explore a mangrove-based blue carbon project covering around 24,000 hectares in Aceh Tamiang, Aceh.
The agreement covers initial studies, facilitation and coordination for the potential development of a nature-based carbon project. The agreement was signed in Jakarta on Sept. 17 by Aceh Tamiang Regent Armia Pahmi, Fairatmos Founder and CEO Natalia Rialucky, and Manka Director Juliarta Bramansa Ottay.
The cooperation follows a memorandum of understanding signed by the three parties in September 2025.
Under the agreement, the Aceh Tamiang administration will provide data, facilitate coordination with stakeholders, and engage with government agencies and communities around the mangrove areas. Fairatmos will conduct the initial assessment, while Manka will support governance, prospectus development and efforts to explore potential financing.
Armia said the cooperation is expected to generate economic benefits for communities living around the mangrove areas.
“We hope this cooperation will bring tangible benefits to the people of Aceh Tamiang, particularly economically. Despite facing various challenges, we remain committed to exploring this potential together with Fairatmos and Manka,” Armia said in a statement issued Wednesday (Sept. 23, 2026).
Rialucky said carbon projects need to incorporate integrity considerations from the outset, including not only carbon credit potential but also impacts on communities and biodiversity.
“Today’s buyers are not only looking at the size of a project, but also the impact it brings to the communities and environment around it,” she said.
The assessment will examine the carbon potential of the Aceh Tamiang mangrove landscape alongside its social and biodiversity benefits, she added.
Ottay said Manka will support governance aspects, including clarifying carbon rights and mobilizing financing for subsequent study stages.
“Manka will help ensure clarity over carbon rights and mobilize funding for the next stages of the study, so that this potential can be developed on a strong foundation,” he said.
The mangrove landscape under consideration spans four subdistricts: Seruway, Bendahara, Banda Mulia and Manyak Payed.
Potential buyers and investors, including international parties, may also explore offtake and investment opportunities from the early stages through AtmosFund, a Fairatmos platform that connects climate projects with international sources of funding.
Indonesia has around 3.44 million hectares of mangroves, according to the 2024 National Mangrove Map, accounting for about 20% of the world’s mangrove area. ***
