5 Poorest Regions In South Sulawesi: Jeneponto, Pangkep, North Luwu, Luwu, And Enrekang

Illustration of a densely populated residential area on the banks of the Lower Krukut River, Tanah Abang, Jakarta. (Antara/Aprillio A)

SOUTH SULAWESI - Governor of South Sulawesi (Sulsel) Andi Sudirman Sulaiman ordered a number of Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD) to overcome poverty in the five poorest areas in South Sulawesi.

Based on the survey results from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of South Sulawesi as of March 2022, the five poorest regions in South Sulawesi are Jeneponto Regency with a percentage of 14.28 percent, Pangkep 14.28 percent, followed by North Luwu with a percentage of 13.59 percent, then Luwu 12 .52 percent and then Enrekang 12.47 percent.

"This must be a concern for the five poorest areas in South Sulawesi. Especially Jeneponto for salt and pond farmers who have never changed, please pay attention to the Agriculture Service," said Andi Sudirman in Makassar, Tuesday, April 5.

According to him, related agencies should be immediately mobilized to carry out programs that have a direct effect on the community's economy, so that poverty levels can be handled in the area.

"The area with the most severe poverty rate in South Sulawesi, needs to be evaluated and intervened immediately by the relevant OPD," he said.

Andi Sudirman stated that overcoming poverty needs to involve the community as the subject, namely public testing and consultation with parties who already exist there.

"Apart from academics, we make designs with field people also participating. Asking directly what the needs of the residents there are," he said, as reported by Antara.

"For programs in the area, such as encouraging the salt industry in Jeneponto, public discussions can be held for salt farmers. What are their needs," added Andi Sudirman.

Meanwhile, the Head of South Sulawesi BPS Suntono said that a number of commodities that have the greatest influence on the poverty line (GK) in South Sulawesi are rice, filtered kretek cigarettes, broiler eggs, milkfish, cakes, and instant noodles.

"In general, the commodity that has a major influence on poverty in rural areas is food, while in urban areas it is more influenced by non-food items," he said.

The poverty line is divided into two, namely the food and non-food poverty lines. The food poverty line controls approximately 75 percent of the total poverty line.

"So if the poverty line moves up, then this has the potential to increase the poor," he said.

Rice, he said, gave the largest contribution 19.92 percent in urban areas and 25.84 percent in rural areas. Filter kretek cigarettes gave the second largest contribution to GK, namely 10.53 percent in urban areas and 11.92 percent in rural areas.

In the period March 2021-September 2021, South Sulawesi GK increased by 3.21 percent. Namely, from IDR 372,491 per capita per March 2021 to IDR 384,455 per capita per September 2021.