“Next month, we will send 105 researchers to West Sulawesi, grouped into 21 teams, to identify which economic potentials are most appropriate and worth exploring,” he said at the construction site of Mes Patriot in Kabuloan village, Kalukku district, Mamuju, West Sulawesi, on Friday.
He informed that the researchers will include university students and professors from several public universities.
Their mission will be to determine the economic potential of transmigrant regions. For example, given its scenic landscape, Marano village in Mamuju could be developed into a tourist destination.
According to Iftitah, the researchers will also conduct deeper studies, which may lead to the development of specialized hospitals in the areas.
He emphasized that current transmigration development focuses on building communities. With the new approach, transmigrant populations are expected to find sustainable livelihoods and employment opportunities.
“It’s no longer just about relocating people and giving them land without a clear plan. If tourism is the area’s strength, then we’ll develop tourism. If there’s potential for specialized healthcare services, that’s also possible — especially for illnesses like cancer that require long-term treatment,” he explained.
The Ministry of Transmigration has prepared two thousand graduates -- bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree holders -- who will be deployed across transmigration areas to map potentially high-value export commodities that can be made globally competitive.
Iftitah said that the students and professors will be involved in the research under the Patriot Transmigration Program. The goal is to ensure that the research is both thorough and aligned with the needs of the local economy, he added.
The program primarily focuses on promoting inclusive economic growth by developing key commodities in transmigrant areas, with the ultimate goal of entering international export markets.
Translator: Primayanti
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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