SEA-RUFF

7th Joint Call: SEA-RUFF

The proposal aims to strengthen sustainable fish food systems in Indonesia and Cambodia by producing innovative, high-quality, affordable, and nutritious Ready-to-Use Fish Foods (RUFF). These will contribute to breaking the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition, improving maternal and child health, and creating export opportunities for Asian and European markets.
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Background

In Indonesia and Cambodia, malnutrition remains a pressing issue, especially among pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children. Stunting prevalence is a top priority for both countries. Freshwater fish is a valuable local resource but is highly perishable, leading to seasonal scarcity and post-harvest losses.

Transforming fresh fish into dried fish powder and RUFF products dramatically increases shelf life and improves organoleptic properties. This creates opportunities to supply nutritious food year-round, increase dietary diversity, and provide affordable and acceptable nutrition for vulnerable groups.

The project

SEA-RUFF pursues the following objectives:

  • Capacity building between small-scale fisheries (SSF), SMEs, and academic partners.
  • Fish processing at SME level to create high-quality fish powder.
  • Formulation and production of RUFF tailored for reproductive-age women and other groups in Cambodia and Indonesia.
  • Distribution and accessibility systems for vulnerable populations.
  • Creation of a Southeast Asian network linking academia, policymakers, and the food industry for sustainable fish food systems.

The science

The project builds on expertise from nutrition, food processing, and public health:

  • Transformation of fresh fish into nutrient-rich powders with proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals.
  • Development of standardized RUFF formulations meeting European requirements.
  • Evaluation of impacts on maternal and child health, including stunting prevention.
  • Behavioral change communication research to increase acceptance and sustained use.

Expected outcomes include year-round availability of nutritious fish-based foods, strengthened SME processing capacity, and scalable models for other low- and middle-income countries.

The team

The SEA-RUFF partners are:

  • Dr. Marinka van der Hoeven (Coordinator), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam), Netherlands
  • Damayanti Soekarjo, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand
  • Dr. Wieringa Frank, SEAFAST-IPB, Indonesia
  • Dr. Puspo Giriwono, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), France
  • Dr. Sokneang In, SAVICA, Cambodia
  • Lyndon Paul, Danish Care Foods Co., Ltd, Cambodia

 

Contact: 

Dr. Marinka van der Hoeven                  Email: m.vander.hoeven@vu.nl