The inauguration of the four New Autonomous Regions (DOB) of Papua, namely the Provinces of Central Highlands Papua, South Papua, Central Papua and Southwest Papua, was very grateful for the people. With the new new autonomous region, it will encourage various potentials in Papua. Not only minerals or agricultural products, but also tourism.
The Papuan people’s request was fulfilled when the government inaugurated 4 new autonomous regions. Papua Island which covers more than 400,000 km2 is too big if it only has 2 provinces (Papua and West Papua). Therefore it is necessary to expand the area so that the community is more prosperous, because the management is easier (thanks to the close proximity to the provincial government offices).
On November 11 2022, 3 new provinces have been established in Papua. Acting governors have also been appointed, namely Rebekah Haluk as acting Governor of Central Papua, Apolo Sapanfo as acting Governor in South Papua, and Nikolaus K as acting in the Central Highlands Papua Province. Then there is M Musa’ad as the acting Governor of Southwest Papua and this province was legalized in December 2022.
The four new new autonomous regions are able to accelerate development in Eastern Indonesia, especially Papua. The addition of new autonomous regions will also boost the potential of regions in Papua. Vice President KH Ma’ruf Amin stated that South Papua Province has great potential as a food barn in eastern Indonesia. There are centers for rice, fisheries, and animal husbandry.
With the inauguration of the South Papua Province, it will encourage the province to truly become a food barn in eastern Indonesia. Apart from prospering farmers, it also secures food supplies, not only in Papua but also in Nusa Tenggara and other areas.
The addition of the new autonomous regions will launch the potential of South Papua Province because there are APBD funds from the central government. With these funds, infrastructure will be built in the area, and expedite the distribution of rice and other food ingredients. The Papuan people benefit because the distribution runs smoothly and they never lack food.
With the formation of the new autonomous regions, the regional potential maps for each province have also been transformed. The vanguard of budget optimization in the form of regional expansion has already been launched, so further efforts to realize development equality must also be pursued immediately. The most important thing is to remap the potential of each province before launching a practical strategy for development.
Papua Province as the mother region is known to the world for its underground wealth in the form of mining (gold and copper), now it has to change that image. The post-division Papua province consists of nine regencies located in the northern coastal region of Papua. The nine provinces have minimal mining potential.
Although some research from the BPPT Center for Technology and Energy Conservation (2012), mapped several potential points for nickel mining located in Mamberamo Raya Regency, until 2022 these potentials will still not operate commercially.
Looking at the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) of the Papua Province after the division (only 9 regencies/cities), the economic potential of the Papua Province is now largely supported by the agricultural, forestry and fisheries sectors. Where the share of this sector to the GRDP of each region ranges from 15 to 20 percent (BPS, 2022).
By looking at the contributions from the agricultural, forestry and fisheries business fields that dominate in the Province of Papua, it is clear that the image of the local economy of the Papua Province after the division is now no longer based on the glitter of underground minerals, but the green potential on land and sea in accordance with the topography of the majority of the Province. Papua which lies in the coastal area.
Meanwhile, Papuan politician Barnabas Suebu stated that the Memberamo River in Papua has great potential. In the Memberamo River basin, there are 300,000 hectares of sago forest. Sago thrives along rivers, especially in the lower reaches and swamps. So far, sago has only been used as the main food for local residents.
If only these sago palms were converted into bio-ethanol, they would produce more than 4.5 million liters per year. Bio ethanol is a renewable and environmentally friendly energy source. It can be harvested at any time as long as the sago palms are planted. The potential for nipa palm is also very large. The lead can also be processed into high-quality bio-ethanol.
With the addition of the new autonomous regions, the new regional government can create a bio-ethanol factory so that there is potential for sago processing. With the disbursement of APBD funds, the construction of the factory will be completed quickly. The Papuan people can not only consume sago but at the same time process it into goods with high selling value.
The addition of new autonomous regions in Papua is very beneficial because it can boost potential in various regions on Cendrawasih Earth. For example, natural potential in the form of sago, rice, and also livestock. The newly inaugurated province of South Papua could become a food barn in eastern Indonesia. The Papuan people can process their natural resources so that they become goods with high selling value, and there are no more residents who are below the poverty line.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Bandung
