Indonesia to Develop Food Storage in Papua to Anticipate Drought

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian government is preparing to develop food storage facilities to anticipate the effect of drought in Papua. The food storage will be located in Agandugume District and Sinak District.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Muhadjir Effendy said that the construction will start next week. "Next week the storage development will start, and hopefully it will be finalized in less than a month," said Muhadjir in his statement on the official Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel on Friday, August 11, 2023.

Muhadjir said that the decision to establish food storage in the two districts was green-lighted during a cabinet meeting led by President Jokowi in Merdeka Palace on Thursday, August 10, 2023.

During the meeting, it was presented that there were three districts in Papua currently experiencing drought due to the effects of extreme weather. "The three districts are Agandugume District, Lambewi District, and Inori District, which are located in the same valley, which is Agandugume Valley. The districts are experiencing drought and famine which has taken 6 lives," said Muhadjir.

Therefore, food storage is intended to resolve the effects of the drought in Papua and to distribute food to remote districts. 

"Sinak is located in a strategic position as a connector to several other districts which are located in Lanny Jaya, Puncak Jaya, Puncak Regency, and Intan Jaya.

In addition to the food storage facility, the government also plans to extend the runway at Sinak Airport. The extension of the runway is intended to distribute the material for road development from Jayapura-Wamena to Sinak. 

ADE RIDWAN YANDWIPUTRA

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