We should support and praise the Agriculture Ministry's programs to encourage youth farmers contributing to agricultural development in Papua
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Regional Representative Council (DPD RI) Commission I Deputy Chair Filep Wamafma praised the Agriculture Ministry's measures to boost agriculture development in Indonesia's easternmost region, Papua.

"We should support and praise the Agriculture Ministry's programs to encourage youth farmers contributing to agricultural development in Papua," Wamafma, who represented West Papua Province, noted in his statement as quoted here, Monday.

Wamafma expressed confidence that the ministry's efforts would enhance agricultural human resources and product quality in the province. Product competitiveness in the market will improve, as the product quality is ensured from the earliest production stage, he remarked.

"Collaboration with relevant parties will encourage the youth to contribute as farmers in the region. I am optimistic that the regional authority would cooperate with state-owned or regional-owned enterprises," the senator noted.

Senator Wamafma sees vast development potential in Papua's agriculture and farm commodities for export purposes. He believes Indonesia's rice products can be exported to Papua New Guinea and other countries that shared their borders with Indonesia.

"Youth farmer ambassadors, recently appointed by the Agriculture Ministry, would help the government in promoting our agriculture product quality for export purposes," he stated.

Earlier, Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo and other ministry officials had visited Papua Province on an official visit to witness the farmers' harvest in Merauke District.

At the official visit, Minister Limpo encouraged Papuans to develop advanced, independent, and modern agricultural human resources and also encourage youth to be agriculture entrepreneurs to maximize the export potential of local agriculture products.

The minister also distributed Rp19.43 billion (around US$1.3 million) of cash assistance for improving the province's rice mills, youth farmers' support, and development of the agrotourism area in Sorong District's sago forest.

Translator: Aditya Ramadhan, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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