Jayawijaya Regency promotes local commodity cultivation for food security

The Jayawijaya Regency administration in Papua Pegunungan is encouraging residents of 328 villages to cultivate local food crops to support regional food security. Bupati Jayawijaya Atenius Murib stated in Wamena on Saturday that the area is very extensive, so the community must utilise it to plant local food commodities. “Local foods such as sweet potatoes, cassava, and various types of tubers are our strength in maintaining regional and national resilience,” he said. According to him, if the community returns to planting various types of tubers on their land, they will not be dependent on national food supplies like rice. He explained that if the community plants tubers properly, delays in rice distribution to the Jayawijaya region of Papua Pegunungan will not disrupt public consumption. “We invite all communities in the 328 villages to return to their villages and plant tubers, as they serve as a staple food substitute for rice and can also be utilised to enhance Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) products,” he said. “In the Papua Pegunungan region, we generally do not use fertilisers when planting vegetables, fruits, or tubers, so the produce is very healthy, extraordinary, and the taste is natural and refreshing,” he added.