Coordinating Minister for Food Ensures Papua's Wealth Provides Great Benefits to the Community

The Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, has ensured that the immense wealth and potential of Papua can provide significant benefits to the community. These efforts are being undertaken through the strengthening of environmental management, the food sector, and the welfare of fishermen.

According to Zulkifli Hasan, also known as Zulhas, the direction of Papua’s development needs to be aligned with the needs of the community and the specific potential of each region. He stated that the success of development is not measured solely by the scale of natural resources managed, but by the extent to which the benefits are directly felt by the Papuan people.

“Papua possesses extraordinary natural wealth and potential. However, the measure of development success is not just how much of that potential we can manage. The ultimate measure is how much the benefits are felt by the Papuan people,” he explained in a written statement on Thursday (3/9/2026).

This was conveyed by Zulhas during the inauguration of the PAPEDA Summit 2026, themed “Papua Action for Development, Economy, and Sustainable Nature,” held in Sorong, Southwest Papua.

The food sector is one of the government’s primary focuses in Papua’s development. Zulhas emphasised that Papuan communities must have access to affordable food without being burdened by high costs resulting from connectivity and distribution issues.

“Our task is to oversee food security. We must ensure that the people of Papua do not have to pay more for food. For that purpose, the National Food, Energy, and Water Self-Sufficiency Area (KSPEAN) in South Papua is being developed by involving local communities while protecting forest areas and indigenous territories. Our hope is that, moving forward, the food needs of the Papuan people will be increasingly produced and fulfilled from within Papua itself,” he said.

In addition to food, the government is also paying attention to the welfare of fishermen, who are deemed to still require significant support.

“Our fishermen are the most disadvantaged, with a terms of trade of only 103, falling within deciles 1 to 2. This means that without social assistance, they would be unable to eat. Therefore, we are establishing the Merah Putih Fishermen Cooperative, including one in Biak. With a supportive ecosystem, we hope the fishermen’s terms of trade will rise to 120 by next year, 2027,” he added.

As the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Environmental Fund Management Agency (BPDLH), Zulhas also noted that several improvements are underway to ensure that the Rp22 trillion managed by the BPDLH can be distributed promptly.

“Funds must not be stalled by regulations that lead to unnecessary meetings. Environmental funds must be immediately available to maintain the environment and support the communities living around these areas, including the Papua region,” he asserted.

Zulkifli Hasan noted that accelerating Papua’s development is also a priority for President Prabowo Subianto. This commitment is being implemented through various government policies and programmes, including the Executive Committee for the Acceleration of Papua Special Autonomy Development (KEPP OKP), which is directed towards strengthening coordination between central and regional governments.

He maintained that the development of Papua must ultimately ensure that the community is the primary beneficiary of the region’s natural wealth and various potentials.

He emphasised that Papua’s development requires communication and cooperation between the central government, regional governments, indigenous communities, development partners, and all stakeholders.

“I am willing to dialogue, communicate, and facilitate. We want Papua to progress and to be peaceful. The PAPEDA Summit must serve as a space for us to speak together about what Papua truly needs and what the central government can do to accelerate it,” he concluded.

The forum was also attended by the Governor of Southwest Papua along with 56 development partners and donor agencies.