MIMBAR, Vol.34 No 1 s (June) 2018 pp. 1-10 1 Accredited Sinta 2 based on the decree No.040/P/2014, valid on February, 18, 2014 until February, 18, 2019 Women and Organizational Capabilities in Seaweed Production in North Gorontalo 1 SUKARMAN KAMULI, 2 BASRI AMIN 1 Faculty of Social Sciences, State University of Gorontalo, Indonesia - 96128; 2 Research Institute for School & Society-RISS, State University of Gorontalo, Indonesia email: 1 sukarman_kamuli@ung.ac.id; 2 basri@ung.ac.id Abstract. Despite the government support for economic development in some coastal areas in Indonesia, the paradigm about women’s agency remains the same. This is because women are still marginalized. This paper focuses on looking at agencies of women in managing their resources. This study proves that women are active agents in coastal areas of North Gorontalo. Specifcally, in the seaweed production, empirical evidences show signifcantly that women’s associations succeeded in gaining economic advantages, participatory leadership, and had adaptability towards changes in technology and seaweed market. Applying a qualitative research approach, this study illustrates a number of policy subjects, organizational patterns, regional opportunity, and actors that support the centrality of women’s organizational capabilities in the feld of seaweed production in the north coast of Gorontalo. This study justifes the tendency in Gorontalo, and perhaps in other areas in Indonesia, that women groups have an economic reputation in the seaweed production because they are fully involved in all production processes. Keywords: women agency, organizational capability, Gorontalo Introduction Empowerment program for fisherman is often gender-biased; the program focuses on men rather than women. In fact, women are also able to contribute to the economy of their family. Such an issue is the rationale for the establishment of women’s organization by which it plays a major role in improving the well-being of people living in the coastal area. The organization believes that women are able to do jobs other than domestic works, i.e., supporting financial of their families. This is in line with the argument by Firdaus and Rahadian (2015: 241) that fisherman’s wife plays a major role to support family income. Similarly, Widodo (2012: 6) argues that women’s engagement in supporting her husband in fishery and other related works is significant to improve family’s economic condition. Generally, problems such as limited transportation access, poor school facilities- including the library, limited quality human resources (such as teacher), electricity problem, communication, and health facilities obstruct people living in the coastal area. To solve these issues, government endeavors to improve the well-being of the society through empowerment program, providing facilities and infrastructures to support fisheries, and assistance and arrange workshops on fisheries. It aims at changing and developing the mindset of society in the coastal area. However, the result of such interventions is not as expected. Problems are inevitable, even the implementation of the policy is not effective. The data identify some issues in the field, e.g., (1) the support is not well- distributed and given for groups rather than individual; (2) people’s lack of understanding of facility maintenance, and; (3) the absence of expertise in providing the supports and aids. To cope with the above situation, the local government initiates to re-construct and change the policies, which are (1) group- oriented provision of supports; (2) promoting women’s involvement in fisheries, and; (3) educating women to promote creativity and independence, specifically after the provision of supports. It should be noted that funding or changing of support providers lead to the Received: July 30, 2017, Revision: March 13, 2018, Accepted: June 4, 2018 Print ISSN: 0215-8175; Online ISSN: 2303-2499. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.29313/mimbar.v34i1.2764.1-10 Accredited B based on the decree No.040/P/2014, valid on February, 18, 2014 until February, 18, 2019. Indexed by DOAJ, Sinta, IPI 1