Like other areas in Papua Province, the Paniai Regency as one of area in Papua area.It also has potential for mining potential in West Papua. Such as coal, gold, iron, limestone and qualine. The distribution of potential mining minerals in Paniai Regency is as follows:
Utilization of Mining Potential and Agriculture Potential In West Papua
- Coal deposits are found in West Paniai District, Siriwo and other districts in Paniai District.
- Gold, found in the Districts of Sugapa, Agisipa, Homeyo, Aradide, Mbiandogo, Bogobaida, and West Paniai.
- Iron, found at Cartens Peak, amounts to an estimated 4% of iron reserves of copper and silver.
- Limestone, found in East Paniai District in millions of square meters.
- Pasir Kualin, located in West Paniai District.
However, the utilization of the resources mentioned above is still very limited, except for class C minerals (limestone and qualine sand) which are usually used for the construction of roads and bridges, buildings, and people’s houses. Other resources are still in the exploration stage.
The Paniai Regency area has land that has the potential to be developed as agricultural land in the form of food crop agriculture which includes rice plants found in East Paniai District, secondary crops (corn, sweet potatoes, cassava, peanuts, and soybeans) . And types of horticultural crops, namely vegetables, vegetables scattered in each district. It is beside crops also have mining potential.
Types of food crops cultivated by residents in Paniai district include sweet potatoes, cassava, peanuts and green vegetables. Food crop production in Paniai Regency is only dominated by 4 districts, namely East Paniai District, West Paniai District, Aradide District, and Tigi District.
Besides mining potential , the largest production centers for food crops are Paniai Timur District and Tigi District, where East Paniai District is the largest production center for sweet potato, cassava and peanuts. Meanwhile, Tigi District is the largest production center for green vegetable crops
Poultry farms in West Papua Province have also experienced an increase in yield production continues to increase every year. The largest livestock population in Papua West is free-range chicken as many as 1.9 million heads in 2014, an increase of 33.67 percent from the previous year (Figure 16). This chicken population is mostly kept in Indonesia
Sorong and Manokwari districts. Availability of chicken commodities to meet needs community food is very dependent on genetic improvement. And the availability of animal feed. Government support is the key to livestock development in meeting needs food, especially as a source of protein for the community beside mining potential
The achievement of the condition of food security and self-sufficiency in West Papua Province also influenced by innovation and technology adoption in the development of crop farming food, horticultural farming, animal husbandry, and plantation businesses that can afford have an impact on increasing production and productivity of farmers and ranchers. Read also Papua Traditional Clothing: Type, Uniqueness, And Philosophy that you need to know.
The need for food supply continues to increase while increasing food production and agricultural productivity is also being pursued. Local government encourages increasing the amount of agricultural land by re-functioning paddy fields for rice, corn, and soybeans are planted according to the season in mining potential.
Availability of land in West Papua wide enough to be used in increasing agricultural crop production. And other food needs in the utilization and processing of paddy fields. Farmers need to get guidance and assisted intensively in land management, planting, maintenance, harvesting. And post-harvest by agricultural extension workers by applying site-specific technological innovations.
The Department of Agriculture needs to monitor the distribution of seeds and fertilizers. So that paddy fields can be used cultivated in a sustainable manner. So as to increase crop production and productivity food. Farmers also need to get facilities in the form of easy access to facilities production. Also sources of capital, product processing and marketing to increase income and welfare besides mining potential.
There are explanation about mining potential. Hope this article is useful.
