Jayapura Regent drumming ‘Tifa’ to open the Coordination Meeting of the Food Security Board in Jayapura Regency on Tuesday (10/30/2018) – Jubi / Engel Wally
Sentani, Jubi – Jayapura Regent Mathius Awoitauw highlighted the importance of the availability of local food supplies such as sago, fish, tubers and cocoa in Papua. It means that in every official occasion, the local food will serve as a snack or lunch.
“The local government supports the availability of local food stocks including sago-based food, cocoa, fish and tubers to support the local food security program in this region,” said the regent after opening the Jayapura Food Security Board Meeting at Jayapura Regent Office in Gunung Merah Sentani on Tuesday (30/10/2018).
Furthermore, the regent said the local government needs to address the issue of the local food as an alternative to rice. “From the health perspective, the local food is healthier. Therefore, ahead to the regional event such as PON 2020, the local food must represent our culture to visitors, give them an impression of the originality of our food,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tasrip, the Head of Food Security Office of Jayapura Office, said his office keep promoting the local food and conduct training for the local community on local food processing and consumption.
“We hope that through the Food Security Board meeting, there are recommendations to policymakers to jointly urge the local food consumption as well as to support the local food supplies,” he said.
Government to provide market and product mapping
To support the program, Jayapura Regent Mathius Awoitauw then asked the Food Security Board to help the local farmers and fishermen with a market for selling their local food products. The market will maintain the price; therefore the stocks of local food will be increased. “By providing the market, it means we have helped people’s livelihood,” said the regent.
He also hopes that the increase in local food consumption can be a joint movement of the local government and community to improve people’s prosperity and independence of society in the era of globalisation.
Meanwhile, the Head of Regional Planning and Development Board (Bappeda) of Jayapura Regency Hana Hokoyabi said so far they have conducted mapping on potential commodities, and now the local community is also involving in the cultivation and management strengthening system.
“For instance in Unurumguay sub-district, a sago factor managed by the local community has been built. The similar activities have also done in some villages. The local community makes sago flour from the raw sago using the machine. They then sell their products to the markets in Papua and outside Papua,” she said. (*)
Reporter: Engelbert Wally
Editor: Pipit Maizier
