Village Women Begin Processing Nutmeg as a New Economic Source

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The potential of nutmeg in Ngada Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, is beginning to be developed as a new economic source for village women. Hitherto, nutmeg produce in the area has generally been sold in raw form with limited economic value, although the commodity has significant opportunities to be processed into higher-value products.

Through a business clustering approach based on local potential, underprivileged women are encouraged to develop enterprises from cultivation, processing, to marketing of nutmeg products. This scheme is considered capable of strengthening family economies while opening up sustainable business opportunities in rural areas.

The programme is implemented by PT Permodalan Nasional Madani together with the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection as part of strengthening women’s economy based on local potential.

PNM’s President Director, Kindaris, stated that women play an important role in driving family and community economies. Therefore, women’s empowerment is one of the company’s main focuses in creating sustainable social impacts, especially in rural areas.

According to him, the development of the nutmeg business cluster in Ngada is expected to provide broader opportunities for women to grow by utilising their local natural resources.

Through the programme, ultra-micro female entrepreneurs, particularly PNM Mekaar customers, receive assistance from business capacity building, nutmeg processing, product packaging, to market access. This assistance is expected to improve product quality while expanding business opportunities for rural communities.

The development of the nutmeg cluster is also seen as aligned with the One Village One Product (OVOP) concept, namely village economic development based on competitive local flagship products. With this pattern, each region is expected to be able to optimise its natural potential into a new source of economic growth for the community.