What makes the province of West Papua, which is known for its abundant resources, with productive people still categorized as a rural area? For those who don’t know, this rural area describes environmental conditions that are still lagging behind other areas.
Talking about environmental issues, beauty, beauty, wealth, everything is in Papua. This land seems to be blessed with having all of it and along with people who are able to manage the resources that have been given well and strategically.
It is proven that almost all activities carried out on the largest island of Indonesia still rely on nature. Mining, agricultural land management, and much more. However, it was not enough to bring the area to be more advanced than the others.
The Rural Area basically describes the current environmental situation in Papua. Even though they have adequate resources, the way they use them is still conservative. So this is a little more definition of what a rural area actually is.
Natural Economy Activities Across West Papua
After having an idea of what a Rural area is, especially in Papua, now we will try to discuss more deeply about the activities of local residents to support their economy. Overall, the agricultural sector is the backbone of the population’s economy there.
Papua is widely known for its mining and agricultural sectors. But mining is mostly carried out by certain elites and agriculture is what fulfills economic needs. During the whole decade, rural development has not yet completed the economic planning there.
Luckily, agricultural productivity in West Papua is always increasing and the distance between rural and urban areas is getting closer. As a result, this makes people’s needs easier to obtain and they don’t have to waste a lot of time to get the goods they need.
Not to mention the environment there has begun to be improved in terms of transportation, especially roads. The modernization of the villages makes it easier to export local’s product. So that the economy of the Papuan is currently being reconstructed and developing.
Why West Papua Still Categorized as Rural Area
There are several reasons why Papua, which we know as having abundant resources with a productive society, is still classified as rural and has not even been categorized as an urban area which is one level above rural. The reason is:
- It is Composed of Flora and Fauna
The rural environment Is composed of a high percentage of vegetation. If an area has diverse domestic flora and fauna, it can be easily classified as a rural area, including those in West Papua.
- Low Population Density
The matter of population density is also a consideration of whether an area deserves to be separated from the rural predicate or not. In general, a rural area is a place where the population is fewer than 30 inhabitants per square kilometer.
- Eco-tourism
In terms of tourism, if an area is still promoting eco-tourism tours, it can definitely be considered a rural area. This is as an alternative activity to invite tourists but still needs a lot of development.
- Utilization of Resources with Less Technology
Technology now seems like everything. All sectors already have modern technology that encourages higher productivity. While in West Papua, all human resource development is still used, technology is rare.
- Bacis Needs Cost Higher
Because the distance between rural and urban areas is very far, the supply of other goods needs will be more expensive because they have to spend more on transportation costs. That is why we say that the living cost will be higher.
Biggest Environmental Problem in West Papua
Of course, this label as a rural area may not last forever because Papua has enormous growth potential. But one of the conditions, in order to be able to grow and take advantage of this potential, is to overcome the existing environmental problems.
The first problem that must be faced is the matter of domestic waste. Garbage that is somewhere will pile up as there is no container for solving the problem. Domestic waste is even among the biggest environmental problems in Papua for now.
In West Papua there are also more and more police officers. Previously, rural areas were categorized as places that rarely had pollution, but in Papua there, they are still a threat to the environment. Maybe because of the high activity of factories and mining cars.
However, the most serious problem that must be faced is related to very rare health facilities. Socio-economic classes cannot have adequate health services and must try to solve medical issues on their own without any assistance from the government.
Environmental problems in Papua are still a new issue for the residents there. People still live with traditional trends and are not disturbed by the hustle and bustle of the city. But that is also the reason why West Papua is still a rural area.
