BNPB Ensures TNI Personnel Strictly Guard Food Warehouses In Papua

JAKARTA - Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Suharyanto ensured that TNI personnel were ready to strictly maintain food warehouses in Sinak District, Puncak, Central Papua, from the threat of security disturbances by certain groups.

"Security under the direct command of Kodam XVII/Cenderawasih because this is a strategic facility for public services," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, August 7.

In addition to physical military security, the Head of BNPB also ensured that an unmanned aircraft was alerted to oversee the surroundings of the food warehouse which was recently inaugurated by the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Muhadjir Effendy.

The food warehouse in Sinak District is one of two facilities built by the government to overcome the threat of hunger for local people triggered by the phenomenon of upas dew climate and extreme drought in Puncak Regency, Central Papua.

Another food warehouse is in the process of being developed, which is located in the Agandugume District and is targeted for completion in early 2025.

The total budget used to build the two food reserves is worth more than Rp. 82 billion using the BNPB Ready-to-Use Fund (DSP).

The phenomenon of the upas dew climate is a serious threat that almost every year causes Sinak and Agandugume residents and their surroundings to lack food to become a threat of hunger.

Upas stockpiles are a phenomenon of the emergence of cold dew or freezing snow in mid-July, August, until early September, which frozen the land surface to the point of damaging produce, such as tubers and the like as food sources for the local community.

Historical data compiled by the BNPB Pusdalops, the impact of the climate phenomenon that hit the Papua region took place from 1997, 1998, 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2022. Furthermore, in 2023 there was a drought that affected as many as 7,500 people in Puncak, Central Papua.

Reflecting on these conditions, he said, the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, BNPB, the Provincial Government (Pemprov) of Central Papua, and the TNI, in 2023 are committed to the condition of the shortage of food should not be repeated this year by building a food warehouse.