Business participation needed in transmigration<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Cabinet ministers agreed yesterday that
\nentrepreneurs must involve themselves in speeding up the
\ndevelopment of transmigration areas.<\/p>\n
They said during a seminar that businessmen could contribute
\ntechnology and money to develop transmigration sites into
\nbusiness centers and make the state-sponsored program a success.<\/p>\n
Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo, Minister of
\nAgriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah, and Minister of Cooperatives
\nand Small Enterprises Subiakto Tjakrawerdaya said the
\nparticipation of the business sector will help improve
\ntransmigrants' living standards.<\/p>\n
The seminar organized by the Ministry of Transmigration sought
\nideas on how to involve the private sector in the development of
\ntransmigration areas.<\/p>\n
Despite its successes, cynics continue to describe the
\ntransmigration program as a process of moving poverty from Java
\nto the outer islands because the economic status of the
\ntransmigrants does not change much in their new homes.<\/p>\n
\"The government plans to invite businessmen of various fields
\nto help develop transmigration areas,\" Siswono said.<\/p>\n
He said during the seminar on The Prospects of Investment in
\nTransmigration Areas that the private sector is needed to solve
\nthe problem of limited amounts of arable land. Around 2,000
\nsquare meters of land is provided for each resettled family.<\/p>\n
Transmigrants lack technology for intensive farming, he added.
\n\"It would be irresponsible to leave them alone fighting for a
\nbetter life,\" Siswono said.<\/p>\n
He noted that 219 businessmen have expressed interest in
\ninvesting in various transmigration areas and that some of them
\nhad started businesses there already.<\/p>\n
\"The government needs more businessmen to help accelerate the
\ndevelopment of transmigration areas,\" he added.<\/p>\n
According to Siswono, the failure of many resettlers to
\nimprove their living standards was mostly due to limited natural
\nresources in the settlement areas and unsuitable climates.<\/p>\n
He noted that 300 out of the 2,100 transmigration sites
\nthroughout Indonesia have failed to develop into economically
\nself-sufficient communities.<\/p>\n
He said 30 percent of the many thousands of transmigrants have
\nsuccessfully increased their incomes, another 55 percent have
\ncome to earn a little better level of income, and the remaining
\n15 percent have failed to escape the jaws of poverty.<\/p>\n
Minister of Agriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah said that the
\ninvestment of businessmen in resettlement areas will allow the
\nfarmers to diversify their sources of income.<\/p>\n
He said investors could encourage farmers to develop
\nagriculturally based businesses and modernize farming techniques.<\/p>\n
This approach enables farmers to work at producing industry-
\noriented commodities, such as palm oil and husbandry products, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Subiakto said that the development of resettlement sites must
\nbe accompanied by development of businesses suitable for the
\nareas.<\/p>\n
He said that cooperatives, as economic institutions for small-
\nscale businessmen, are suitable for resettlers doing businesses
\nin the transmigration areas.<\/p>\n
\"A cooperative can provide credit for small-scale
\nentrepreneurs that most banks usually reject,\" he said. (imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/business-participation-needed-in-transmigration-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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