Located in the eastern part of Indonesia does not signify the bad fact of Papua. The Indonesian government has been investing and trying to make the area get better. The island itself has a huge potential with all of its nature and economic consideration. You can see it from FakFak town in West Papua. It has a huge budding economy to support the Cendrawasih island.
About FakFak
Historically, FakFak is one of the local port towns. However, it grew bigger during the colonial government. Thus, resulting in some historical settlement from Dutch colonial building to Japanese colonialism. However, the former port town is now more isolated. The import and export activities are way less than a long time ago.
However, the town is not small in population. It was a local city with a significant number of Muslim Indian and Arab Indonesian residents. The number adds up to the rising population in the 2020 census that reaches up to 18.900. The growing population can prove that the place has a great potential for Papuan development.
Not only that, but the place also has a huge deal of cultural identity, history, and tourism standpoint for Papua. The town is located in the Bomberai Peninsula at the foothills of FakFak mountain. The place has many rivers, caves, and limestone hills that captivate tourists. But it also has potential for natural industry such as west Papua nutmeg or livestock.
Tourism potential
Tourism is one of the supports of the local FakFak community. The sector has several attractive offers for tourists, which include some natural tourism, history, culinary, and many more. It is also known for the pristine beach with hefty waves for surfing. A good point that needs to be underlined is the fact that FakFak has good access, the FakFak Torea airport.
1. Sea And Beach
FakFak has 1.5 kilometers of white sand beaches. It serves as the favorite place for tourists to enjoy the pristine marine life and waves. One of the locations is Patawana Beach which is located 30 Km from downtown. It is a place that is loved by surfers due to the high waves. But, it is also a great place to witness the glory of marine ecosystem biodiversity.
2. Cultural Tourism
Every part of FakFak regency offers a different touch of tourism. When it comes to culture, tourists can explore the long history of the Kokas district. The district is located 50 km away from the city of FakFak. The West Papua story not only encompasses the local ancestor, but also some WW2 moments and prehistoric sites. There is also some colonization heritage to explore.
3. Forest
FakFak also has a forest filled with flora and fauna as part of its tourism potential. The local authority also proposes FakFak mountain reverse exploration to introduce the forest sanctuary around the west FakFak district. The highlight of the highland exploration is the vast biodiversity including plants and birds.
4. Culinary
Local cuisine is also one of the good reasons why the tourism sector in FakFak is worth the potential. The city known for its nutmeg has a range of local delicacies, including Manisan Buah Pala or Nutmeg fruit sweet. Some local products include syrup, Sagoo Martabak, Snack, and palm sugar.
Industry
The industry sector in the city is pretty lacking. However, it does not mean that the place is only counting on its tourism potential. Many livelihoods can take better steps for adequate economic growth and local development. Some of the West Papua livelihoods include fishing, subsistence farming, and nutmeg. The place also has a local shipping port that also supports its growth.
1. Nutmeg
The local Nutmeg has been the highlight of FakFak. In this case, the FakFak district has been one of the primary nutmeg producers in the region. It is also worth noting that the Cendrawasih region accounts for 8.6 percent of national nutmeg production. It means that more than 80 percent of the total nutmeg production was from FakFak.
It shows how big the role of nutmeg production is both regionally and nationally. With proper investment and development, locals can gain a better economic level. In this case, responsible investment is the key since almost 86 percent of the FakFak is covered by natural forests. A more modern traditional production can improve cultivation, supply chain, and export.
2. Cattle
Cattle go under subsistence farming for the FakFak community. The west Papua city can consider a better investment in its cattle production to boost up the economy. Not only that, economic institutions and infrastructure building can also benefit communities with better local productions. Which later helped lift poverty and improved livelihood.
Indeed, the area is pretty much known for its natural tourist sites. It has the same concept as many other cities around Papua. However, one of the biggest potentials of FakFak is nutmeg production. With constant investment and improvement, the production can elevate local communities’ GDP.
