VUB researcher Arida Fauziyah is working towards a more sustainable future for the popular mud crab in the mangroves of South Sulawesi. By relocating their cultivation to mangrove aquaculture cages, she aims to reconcile economic opportunities for local communities with the preservation of vulnerable ecosystems. During the EUTOPIA Impact School, she presented her research to an international audience through a video.
Mud crabs — large green-brown crabs that inhabit mangroves — are an important food source in South-East Asia. They can weigh over a kilo and are known for their powerful claws and their ability to burrow into muddy soils. Because they are so highly prized, they are increasingly farmed. However, traditional farming methods place pressure on mangrove forests — precisely the ecosystems that are vital for coastal protection and biodiversity.
VUB researcher Arida Fauziyah aims to change that. As a doctoral student in mangrove ecology, she is examining how mud crabs can be farmed sustainably in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, without damaging the mangroves. Her research looks at how mud crabs feed, the position they occupy in the food chain, and the specific environmental conditions they require to grow healthily.
Drawing on this knowledge, she is helping to facilitate the transition from conventional ponds to ‘mangrove pen’ systems: open cages situated within the mangrove forest that preserve the natural environment as much as possible. In doing so, her research seeks to strike a balance between economic opportunities for local communities and the protection of vulnerable coastal ecosystems.
EUTOPIA Impact School
Arida presented her work at the EUTOPIA Impact School. At the end of 2025, the Graduate Academy of TU Dresden organised the third EUTOPIA Impact School. Doctoral students from the EUTOPIA universities took part. Over the course of three days, they worked on developing clear and engaging science communication. During the programme, they practised new storytelling and presentation techniques. As a finale, they produced creative video pitches, presenting their research projects to a broad audience.