PSP3 IPB University will have a Presence in Papua, To Develop Agriculture

The situation in Papua, which had heated up for some time, made many parties avoid activities in Papua. But that does not apply to the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Studies (PSP3) LPPM-IPB University, which recently signed a collaboration activity with the Office of Agriculture and Plantation of the Regional Government of Dogiyai Regency, Papua Province, (2/10).

The activity titled "Empowering Farmers / Youth in the Village and Agricultural Innovation in Dogiyai District" will be conducted from October to December 2019. PSP3 will provide assistance to 21 farmers/village youth from Dogiyai. Friends from Papua will be invited to learn together about coffee farming and horticulture from upstream to downstream.

Dogiyai Regency itself was an area of expansion in 2008 with an area of approximately 4,237.4 square kilometers. The agriculture and plantation sector in Dogiyai District has contributed more than 40 percent to the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP). With the main agricultural superior commodities are coffee, horticulture, and tuber crops, the true Dogiyai Regency has the potential to be developed as an agricultural center that caxhas become very strategic, given the political constellation in Papua today. So it is important for us as academics, in this case, IPB University plays a role in developing agriculture in Papua while caring for fraternity with Papuan friends, "Dr. Sofyan Sjaf, Head of PSP3 LPPM-IPB University.

In the future, those who will be encouraged to become engines of empowerment in Dogiyai Regency will be cadres who are Dogiyai themselves. They are village youths who have the integrity to participate with farmers in making agricultural innovations and utilizing the potential of Natural Resources (SDA) in their villages. These village/youth farmer empowerment and agricultural innovation activities in Dogiyai Regency greatly encourage the involvement of various stakeholders to develop the village/villages. All of this is aimed at the welfare of the Dogiyai community.
"With the birth of cooperation in the form of a mentoring approach in implementing agricultural innovations, it is hoped that Dogiyai Regency can become a pioneer of agricultural development in Papua that will also stimulate the economic strength of villagers and farmers," said Emanuel Dogomo, S. Pt, M. Si, Head of Agriculture and Plantation Kab. Dogiyai (AVR)

Keyword: Farmer assistance, Papua, Cooperation, PSP3 LPPM, IPB University