VP Gibran visits Asmat sago school, promotes commodity downstreaming

Vice President Gibran Rakabuming visited the Sagu Field School in Yepem Village, Asmat Regency, South Papua, to observe the development of sago as a key regional commodity. The visit aimed to explore how sago can generate economic value through downstream processing, a key focus of the four-year-old program.

The program integrates cultural heritage preservation, indigenous community empowerment, and the processing of sago into value-added products. Anton, the program's supervisor, explained that the Asmat Sagu Field School differs from others by emphasizing local culture and economic strengthening. "The focus here is more on strengthening the local aspect," Anton said. "So, if in Meranti it's about sago industry technology for large scale, here it's local scale, Mr. Vice President. So, here there will be more cultural approaches. At the same time, here we develop its downstream processing."

The six-hectare site is managed through a collaboration between the local diocese and the regional government. It serves as a hub for learning and sago development, with an emphasis on creating profitable derivative products for the community. Anton noted that accessibility to the location remains a significant challenge for future development.

This visit aligns with President Prabowo Subianto's directive to bolster local food security and regional potential. Sago development in Asmat is seen as strategically important not only for food resilience but also for safeguarding cultural heritage and improving the welfare of indigenous communities through local resource-based economic growth.

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The focus here is more on strengthening the local aspect. So, if in Meranti it's about sago industry technology for large scale, here it's local scale, Mr. Vice President. So, here there will be more cultural approaches. At the same time, here we develop its downstream processing.