Papua Province is one of the regions that have a considerable diversity of biological resources, including local food crops.
Papuan local food sources that have the potential to be utilized as a source of carbohydrates are sweet potatoes, taro, sago, gembili, and millet. Local food has been widely used by the people of Papua. Communities domiciled in mountainous areas generally consume sweet potatoes, taro, and gembili, while those living on the beach use sago as a staple food. Some types of sweet potatoes, taro, and sago have adapted well and consumed by the people of Papua in decades. Thus, these commodities need to be developed as the main food source for the community. Besides being used as the main food source and for traditional ceremonies, local Papuan food commodities have also been developed into processed products such as cookies that are managed by a household industry scale.[1]
Minister of Agriculture, Amran, asserted that Indonesia’s future especially agriculture development is in the eastern region of West Papua. Because West Papua has a great agricultural potential to be excavated.
To achieve this, the effort made is to build the land of sleep so that available agricultural land on a large scale and prosperous farmers community. In addition, it is necessary to revive superior food commodities such as nutmeg, breadfruit, coffee, and corn to be exported.
Amran said that the Ministry of Agriculture will focus on increasing rice production in West Papua so that rice is no longer supplied from South Sulawesi, but can be fulfilled by itself. In 2017, the Ministry of Agriculture will make about 1900 ha of rice fields.
According to Amran, West Papua has great potential for developing of vegetable commodities such as carrots and cabbage so that their needs can be fulfilled or no longer supplied from other regions. West Papua also has excellent export-worthy commodities such as coconut, coffee, nutmeg, and cocoa. These commodities will be encouraged until they can be exported.
The Governor of West Papua, Dominggus Mandacan said the agricultural sector is very important to promote and prosper the community. West Papua government will prioritize the development of superior commodities until reach the export value. The leading commodities include nutmeg, coffee, vegetables (carrots, cabbage, potatoes), corn, coconut, cattle, breadfruit, and cocoa.[2]
[1] A. Wahid Rauf dan Martina Sri Lestari, Pemanfaatan Komoditas Pangan Lokal Sebagai Sumber Pangan Alternatif di Papua, diakses dari laman http://papuabarat.litbang.pertanian.go.id/index.php/publikasi/artikel/210-pemanfaatan-komoditas-pangan-lokal-sebagai-sumber-pangan-alternatif-di-papua pada 15/11/2017
[2] Dee Waluyo, Kementan Dorong Papua Barat Berdaulat Pangan, diakses dari laman https://jpp.go.id/ekonomi/pertanian/307558-kementan-dorong-papua-barat-berdaulat-pangan pada 15/11/2017
Keywords: West Papua, Papua, Food Commodities, local foods, agricultural, rice production, export commodities, Papuan food commodities, Papuans, local community.
By Sakhiyatun K
