Indah Rufiati is from the archipelago nation of Indonesia and has worked with small-scale fishing communities for more than thirteen years. Indah has bachelor degree in Fisheries Science and masters degree in Environmental Science. In her role as Applied Science and Adaptive Management Head at Blue Ventures (BV), Indah supports communities to revitalise traditional fisheries practices, safeguard local institutions, enhance value chains and improve financial inclusion. Indah is responsible for the research & learning leadership and working closely with country teams, technical experts and scientists to ensure training resources are relevant, accessible, and grounded in local knowledge and global best practices. Indah also supports cross-country learning and collaboration through knowledge-sharing, partnerships, and exchanges, while promoting gender-inclusive approaches that recognise and strengthen the vital contributions of women across the fisheries value chain and in decision-making processes. Indah has a passion for data and has played a central role in the rollout of BV’s ground-breaking data system, enabling fishers and partner communities across 14 countries to monitor their fisheries in real time. Indah is also an accomplished artist. Her love for the marine environment inspires her paintings and sets the tone for an award-winning film she directed on community-based fisheries management. Indah is deeply committed to community-based conservation and fisheries management and has extensive lived experience on the frontlines of the ocean emergency. This has given her uniquely valuable insights into building lasting relationships, not only with coastal fishers but with researchers, practitioners and government representatives.
