Jayapura Successfully Implemented Ecological-Based District Budget Transfer

Ecological-based fiscal transfer is one of the initiatives to strengthen the implementation of low-carbon development in Indonesia. The fiscal transfers consist of three schemes, namely the Ecology-Based National Budget Transfer (TANE), the Ecology-Based Provincial Budget Transfer (TAPE), and the Ecology-Based Regency Budget Transfer (TAKE). Jayapura Regency, Papua is the first area to successfully implement TAKE.

This budget transfer revitalizes cocoa planting run by village-owned enterprises, one of which is in Imsar Village. According to the Head of Imsar Village, Jayapura Regency, Oskar Giay, the cacao cultivation business has existed since 1950 but in 2010 the business was abandoned by residents because of pests that made cocoa plantations neglected.

“In 2018 cocoa began to be planted again through the revitalization of the Jayapura Regency food crop plantation office. The village government accompanies the work of cocoa farmers to provide support in the form of funds according to the instructions from the district level so that the community grows cocoa," said Oskar at the Katadata Webinar "Sustainable Commodity Development in Papua", as in his official statement, Wednesday (27/10).

Oskar explained that thanks to the revitalization, the community can harvest 5-10 kg per day while increasing the income of cocoa farmers. Not only as a commodity, cocoa is also processed into processed cocoa derivative products. With the help of the Small Business Association Incubator Company (PUPUK), cocoa is processed into chocolate bars that can be consumed directly under the Cendrawasih Chocolate brand.

Although now cocoa can make a big contribution to the village's economy, the Executive Director of PT PPMA, Naomi Marasian, shared the challenges faced in convincing residents to plant cocoa again after it was abandoned. According to him, people think that cocoa cannot be relied on to support their economy.

"The Plantation Office, Balai Seed held various pest management and cocoa revitalization activities with TAF to assist with pest problems, several nurseries were revitalized and in 2019 the gardens were restored so that people returned to their cocoa plantations," said Naomi on the same occasion.

Not only PT PPMA, TAF has also contributed a lot to the revitalization of cocoa in Jayapura district. According to the Deputy Director of the Environmental Government Unit of TAF, Alam Surya Putra, his party helps strengthen cocoa market access and cooperates with various institutions and offtakers, both cooperatives, producers of chocolate product management so that it becomes a commodity that can be relied on by the community.

“TAF wants to encourage the Green Economy Village RPJM so that the village government thinks about programs at the village level to protect the environment and improve the economy. The success of village governance in developing its own scheme to strengthen competition between villages to strengthen the economy while protecting the forest,” said Alam at the same event.

SOURCE: https://indonesiatimur.id/2021/10/27/jayapura-berhasil-apply-transfer-anggaran-kabupaten-berbasis-ekologi/