Over the last five decades, over 30 million people along Java’s north coast have experienced subsidence and subsequent soil erosion. In 2015, Building with Nature Indonesia (BwNI-Demak) started a coastal protection project in 10 communities of nine coastal villages of Demak regency. The protection measures introduced included the use of permeable structures (dams) that successfully capture sediment and support natural recovery of mangroves, and aquaculture field schools, to train small-scale farmers on good aquaculture practices such as:

• Low external inputs sustainable aquaculture (LEISA).
• Associated mangrove aquaculture (AMA).
• Multi-trophic srhimp aquaculture.

This article discusses the practices and outcomes in terms of improved incomes and livelihoods of participating farmers.