Indonesia Ministry Focuses Papua Agriculture on Sweet Potatoes, Not Rice Paddies

Indonesia's Agriculture Ministry is shifting its focus in Papua Pegunungan from rice paddies to sweet potato cultivation, recognizing the crop's cultural significance and suitability to the region. Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman announced this strategy during a meeting with the Vice Governor of Papua Pegunungan, Ones Pahabol.

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This is local wisdom based on the habits and culture of the community. So the program in Papua Pegunungan is not a rice paddy program, but the development of sweet potatoes as the main food commodity for the community.

The ministry will begin by developing 100 to 200 hectares of sweet potato farms in each district. This phased approach will allow for evaluation based on field results and budget availability before potential expansion. The goal is to establish these areas as sweet potato-based food barns.

Prioritizing local seeds purchased directly from the community is a key aspect of the plan. This not only stimulates the local economy but also strengthens local seed systems. The ministry will provide essential farming tools like crowbars, machetes, shovels, and axes, tailored to the local farming methods.

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We will start with around 100 to 200 hectares per district. If successful, next year we will increase it according to the budget. We will build this into a sweet potato-based food barn area.

Beyond food security, the initiative includes post-harvest processing to enhance the value and shelf life of sweet potatoes. Technologies like dryers will be explored. Minister Amran highlighted the economic potential of Papua's sweet potatoes, given their suitability to the climate and broad market opportunities.

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What if we buy the seeds directly from the community? So there's no need to bring them from outside. We build the nurseries on site so the economy can circulate in our own region.

Vice Governor Ones Pahabol noted that sweet potatoes are a staple for about 99 percent of the region's population, underscoring the importance of this agricultural shift.

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We are encouraging large-scale sweet potato development to meet the needs of the people of Papua Pegunungan, both for consumption and sale. In the future, it can also be processed to have added value and a longer shelf life. For that, we will look at the need for drying technology or dryers.