Not Just Nickel: North Maluku Provincial Government Boosts Coconut Downstreaming

Jakarta: North Maluku Governor Sherly Tjoanda Laos has affirmed the commitment of the North Maluku Provincial Government to boosting the regional economy through the utilisation of natural resources, particularly nickel, improving the quality of human resources, enhancing health services and facilities, and strengthening road and bridge infrastructure. Regarding nickel downstreaming, the North Maluku Provincial Government is encouraging businesses to commit to implementing Good Mining Practice by enforcing ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards to maintain environmental sustainability. The provincial government is also continuously overseeing replanting and reclamation efforts to ensure the industry acts responsibly in its efforts to restore the function of forest conditions and the environment after the mining process. On the other hand, the North Maluku Provincial Government continues its efforts to maintain growth momentum by preserving investment attractiveness, primarily in the nickel downstreaming sector, whilst simultaneously encouraging new sources of economic growth. Beyond nickel downstreaming, North Maluku is promoting the farming and fishing sectors so that food supplies can be produced within the province, such as through the opening of 10,000 hectares of new rice fields, developing ‘Merah Putih’ fishing villages, and developing the downstreaming of coconuts.