BPS Records Poverty Rate In Kulon Progo Yogyakarta Increases 18 Percent, COVID Pandemic Contributes

KULON PROGO - The poverty rate in Kulon Progo Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region, rose from 18.01 percent in 2020 to 18.38 percent in 2021 according to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Head of BPS Kulon Progo Sumarwiyanto said the COVID-19 pandemic had also contributed to an increase in the poverty rate because it limited economic activity. This condition affects people's income.

"People who are slightly above the poverty line or near poverty, if their income remains constant or only increases slightly, they will eventually become poor," said Sumarwiyanto in Kulon Progo, Antara, Tuesday, December 28.

He said that in the Kulon Progo region the poverty rate in geographically isolated areas and low resource bases was generally high.

Of the 87 villages and one kelurahan in Kulon Progo, there are 22 villages that have slope topography and 10 villages that are on the coast. In fishing villages on the coast, poverty is partly caused by the lack of human resource capacity as well as ownership of capital and mastery of technology.

"Fishermen (their work) depends on the season, so they must have a side job, while their skills are limited," said Sumarwiyanto.

He said that the district government could help the community seize economic opportunities from the operation of Yogyakarta International Airport to improve the welfare of the residents.

The district government, according to him, can provide a lever for economic activity by providing supporting infrastructure as a transit area, including repairing roads.

"After having good road facilities for economic-producing areas, the position of tourist objects must be branded more modern," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Kulon Progo Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) Triyono said that in 2021 the district government will allocate a budget of IDR 50 billion for poverty reduction programs and IDR 30 billion more for social assistance programs.

"We are trying to reduce the poverty rate so it doesn't get worse. The 0.37 percent increase in poverty is very low compared to other regions," he said.