The Deputy Minister Of Home Affairs Asks The Papua Provincial Government For The Development Of Planning To Overcome Food Issues

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Ribka Haluk was interviewed by a number of journalists in Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency, Papua Mountains, during his visit to the area. BETWEEN ANTARA/Yudhi Efendi.

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Wamendagri) Ribka Haluk encourages serious handling of community food needs in Papua Province, Mountains spread across eight districts.

"We ask that a comprehensive master plan is drawn up by local governments, both provinces and regencies, for the long term so that food problems in Papua Mountains consisting of eight districts, namely Jayawijaya, Lanny Jaya, Nduga, Central Mamberamo, Tolikara, Yahukimo, Yalimo, and the Bintang Mountains are resolved," Ribka said in a statement in Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency, Tuesday, confiscated by Antara.

Based on the data, continued Ribka, the food issue is still a trigger for the price gap in the Papua Mountains in general. Therefore, the provision of land for agriculture needs to be a serious concern for local governments.

"People are better off opening gardens, opening crops, rice fields and others throughout the Papua Mountains area, and it must start from now on so that food needs are met," he said.

He said the potential for natural wealth in Papua is very abundant, so the provincial and district governments must work together in optimizing this potential.

"We believe and believe that when the natural potential is managed properly with the support of the government, the ideal food self-sufficiency can be realized," he said.

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs added that to realize food self-sufficiency in Indonesia, especially the Papua Mountains, the Ministry of Agriculture has been ordered by President Prabowo Subianto to accelerate this.

"He (President) has ordered our Minister of Agriculture for the food self-sufficiency program to be successful throughout Indonesia. Local governments can collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture in realizing food self-sufficiency in their regions," he said.