2021 Volume 5 Issue 2 Pages 55-70
An industry that can meet the criteria of environmental friendliness, social acceptability, and economic success can be considered sustainable. The tofu industry in Indonesia is growing with the increase in tofu consumption. One of the tofu industry problems, particularly in Indonesia, is the high water use that also generates a high volume of wastewater. On the other hand, since most tofu industries in Indonesia are small-scale with limited capital and technical capabilities, the wastewater from the tofu industry is often discharged without treatment and create environmental pollutions. Due to this potential environmental problem, it is important to assess the sustainability of the tofu industry. This study aimed to determine the sustainability status of the small-scale tofu industry in Indonesia. A tofu producing cluster in Giriharja Hamlet, Sumedang, Indonesia, was used as a case study. The water and wastewater management in Giriharja was influenced by an anaerobic wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) that treats the tofu wastewater. This study used the rapid appraisal for fisheries (Rapfish) technique based on ordination using the multidimensional scaling approach to assess the three dimensions of sustainable development: environmental, social, and economic. Data was collected through direct observation, questionnaires, interviews, and groundwater quality analysis. The results show that the overall sustainability status of the tofu industry in Giriharja was quite sustainable, with a value of 71.5%. The tofu industry had taken the right direction toward sustainability by reducing waste pollution load, not harming local communities, and supporting the economy. On the other hand, the high water consumption is still concerning. To improve its sustainability status, the tofu industry must reduce water consumption and might utilize the effluent of anaerobic WWTP e.g., for agriculture. The lack of maintenance funding might put the WWTP operation at risk, therefore, government support is required.
