Opened in August 2012, it is owned and operated by twelve groups of farmers and fishermen who were funded by the Artha Prima Credit Union.
[2][4] The 300-seat restaurant at Kampoeng Rawa floats in a small lake and serves Indonesian dishes using locally produced ingredients, including catfish, gourami, and tilapia.
They decided to establish a tourist attraction through which they could sell their wares (later extended to include arts and crafts) while raising awareness of and protecting the Rawa Pening ecosystem.
[8][11] The site was quickly popular, receiving an average of 2,000 visitors a day during the Eid holidays, and became a common location for events held by the local government.
[14] In 2013, the ecologist Sudharto of Diponegoro University stated that the area around Rawa Pening had to be clear of all buildings, otherwise the water flow and ecosystem would be disturbed.
However, the Regent of Semarang, Sudharto, was supportive of Kampoeng Rawa, stating that the complex not only improved the welfare of the farmers and fishermen, but also stopped feuds over the use of rice paddies in the area.
The head of the Semarang Regency Council, Bambang Kusriyanto, stated that he had confirmed that Kampoeng Rawa's management had applied for permission and called for the government to process the request expediently.
[16] In February 2015, President Joko Widodo called for the issuance of permits to be expedited, citing the site's potential to promote social empowerment.