Kitchen Waste Formulated, Empty Land Used, TNI Personnel Successfully Cultivating Catfish In Abepura District, Papua

The Indonesian Military Pamtas Task Force-PNG Infantry Battalion 403 uses vacant land to raise catfish (Photo: ANTARA/HO)

PAPUA - TNI personnel from the RI-Papua New Guinea Border Security Task Force (Pamtas) Battalion 403/Wirasada Pratista Pos Kalan utilize vacant land and leftover kitchen waste to cultivate catfish.

This step by the soldiers is to support the food security of residents in Padang Bulan Village, Abepura District, Jayapura, Papua.

The Commander of the Pamtas Task Force Battalion 403/Wirasada Pratista Lt. Col. Ade Pribadi Siregar said the TNI was responding to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which affected agricultural and fishery products. It is necessary to anticipate by creating new sources of food security.

"Armed with the experience of catfish in the unit, Pos Kalan Task Force 403/WP personnel apply their skills to utilize vacant land around Pos Kalan to be used as catfish ponds using waterproof tarpaulins," said Dansatgas in a statement quoted by Antara, Thursday, June 24. .

The Pamtas Task Force Battalion 403/Wirasada Pratista at the same time invited local residents to use their land to raise catfish.

"Given the general benefits of catfish as a source of nutrition, it is very good because it contains high nutrients consisting of various vitamins and minerals," he added.

Separately, Danpos Kalan Task Force Infantry Battalion 403/Wirasada Pratista Lettu Mufty Hasan revealed that the activities carried out by Task Force personnel were a form of synergy between the TNI and the people in an effort to help the economy of the people affected by COVID-19, especially in the RI-PNG border area.

"To help reduce production costs during catfish breeding, we utilize the remaining kitchen waste as additional feed, thank God the results are satisfactory," said Mufty.

He admitted that apart from being a form of independence from the Satgas Battalion 403/Wirasada Pratista soldiers, the catfish harvest was also used to help the community around the TNI Battalion 403 Task Force post.