On a bright morning in Timika, the rhythmic pounding of the tifa, a traditional Papuan drum, echoed across the gathering fields. The sound was not only ceremonial but symbolic, carrying centuries of cultural resonance while marking the beginning of a new chapter in Indonesia’s development journey. It was here, in Papua Tengah (Central Papua), that the Regional Representative Council of Indonesia (DPD RI) officially launched its Senator Peduli Ketahanan Pangan (Senators Care About Food Security) program, a strategic initiative designed to strengthen food security, empower farmers, and integrate the eastern provinces into the national roadmap toward Indonesia Emas (Golden Indonesia) 2045.
The ceremony was more than a routine government event. It was a statement that the road to a food-secure Indonesia must pass through regions often left on the margins of national development. By choosing Papua Tengah, DPD RI signaled that the eastern provinces are no longer peripheral but central to Indonesia’s long-term vision.
Why Papua Tengah Matters in the Food Security Agenda
The decision to launch the food security program in Papua Tengah was not incidental. This region, though geographically isolated and often challenged by rugged terrain and limited infrastructure, holds untapped potential for agriculture. Fertile soils, vast land availability, and resilient local communities make it a natural candidate to become a food production hub.
According to DPD RI’s Deputy Chairman Yorrys Raweyai, the initiative was carefully planned to reflect both strategic vision and local realities. The program aims to build food resilience, starting with corn cultivation on 15 hectares of land, with ambitions to expand into thousands more. “Papua Tengah has what it takes to be at the forefront of Indonesia’s food sovereignty agenda, provided we commit to overcoming logistical challenges and support farmers with the right tools, seeds, and knowledge,” Yorrys said during the launch.
The Launch Day: Tradition Meets Modern Ambition
The launch event itself captured the fusion of tradition and modern ambition. Community leaders, government officials, and local farmers stood side by side as the first corn seeds were planted, a symbolic act that carried the weight of expectation. Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Food, Bulog (the national food logistics agency), and the Papua Tengah provincial administration joined the ceremony, signaling a unified approach.
For many locals, the spectacle of national leaders planting seeds in their soil was both novel and reassuring. It demonstrated that Papua Tengah was no longer an afterthought in Jakarta’s development plans but a centerpiece in a broader national vision. The beating of the tifa drum framed the event as not only a political commitment but also a cultural celebration, linking Papuan traditions to national aspirations.
A National Blueprint with Local Roots
Behind the ceremonial fanfare lies a deeper strategy. The Senator Peduli Ketahanan Pangan program is part of a 5,000-hectare national scheme that DPD RI hopes will transform food production in several provinces, including South Sulawesi, Bengkulu, and East Nusa Tenggara. Yet Papua Tengah holds a special place in this blueprint.
Its success or failure could determine whether similar programs are rolled out across the eastern archipelago. The initiative’s emphasis on corn is deliberate: corn is not only a globally significant staple but also a crop that diversifies Indonesia’s food system, which remains heavily reliant on rice. By promoting corn production, DPD RI seeks to reduce import dependency, enhance local diets, and give farmers a reliable cash crop that can be integrated into both subsistence and commercial farming.
BPPSDMP RI: The Backbone of Implementation
For the program to succeed, more than seeds are needed. This is where BPPSDMP RI—the Agricultural Human Resources Development and Extension Agency—comes into play. Tasked with providing high-quality seeds, fertilizers, modern machinery, and farmer training, BPPSDMP’s involvement ensures that the initiative is backed by technical expertise and long-term capacity building.
Its role highlights the importance of institutional synergy. Programs of this scale can easily falter if left to a single agency, but by aligning DPD RI, ministerial support, and local government institutions, the initiative gains both legitimacy and operational strength. BPPSDMP’s focus on human capital development ensures that farmers are not only given tools but also the knowledge to adopt modern practices while respecting local wisdom.
Overcoming Challenges: Geography, Climate, and Logistics
Despite its promise, Papua Tengah presents formidable challenges. Its geography is both a blessing and a curse. Fertile lands promise abundant yields, but rugged mountains, limited road networks, and high transportation costs pose serious barriers to scaling production. Distributing machinery, fertilizers, and harvested crops across the region will require logistical innovation and consistent government investment.
Climate variability adds another layer of complexity. With irregular rainfall and unique soil conditions, crop varieties must be carefully selected to withstand local environments. The pilot phase in Timika is therefore both an intervention and an experiment, testing not only corn’s adaptability but also the resilience of institutional support systems.
Voices from the Ground: Farmers and Local Officials
At the community level, expectations are cautiously optimistic. Farmers in Timika, particularly those in the Kelompok Tani Cendrawasih Makmur, have been promised access to seeds, fertilizers, and guaranteed markets through Bulog. For smallholder farmers, these assurances could mean the difference between subsistence survival and a pathway toward economic stability.
Local officials share this sense of cautious optimism. Alice Irene Wanma, Head of the Agriculture and Horticulture Office of Mimika, emphasized that her office is ready to provide land and technical support to ensure the program delivers tangible results. For Wanma, the program is more than an agricultural effort—it is a vehicle for community empowerment, where farmers become stakeholders in a national vision rather than passive recipients of aid.
Aligning with Indonesia Emas 2045
The human dimension is central to the program. Food security is not merely about producing enough calories but about ensuring equitable access, fair prices, and sustainable livelihoods. DPD RI has underscored that profits from harvests should directly benefit local farmers, not external middlemen. This principle aligns with the broader goals of Indonesia Emas 2045, which envisions a just, prosperous, and sovereign nation by the centenary of independence.
By framing food security in Papua Tengah as part of Indonesia Emas 2045, DPD RI has placed agriculture at the heart of national transformation. If farmers in Papua Tengah can be positioned as central actors in this vision, the initiative could set a precedent for more inclusive development across Indonesia.
Risks of Overpromising
Still, one cannot ignore the risks of overpromising. Many government programs in the past began with great fanfare only to lose momentum due to shifting political priorities or insufficient follow-through. Critics argue that without robust monitoring and transparent evaluation, the Senator Peduli Ketahanan Pangan initiative could end up as another symbolic project.
DPD RI officials, aware of this skepticism, have pledged that the program is not a one-time event but a long-term commitment. By institutionalizing it within national agricultural frameworks and ensuring coordination with provincial administrations, they hope to build a foundation that will survive beyond political cycles.
Redefining Development in Papua
The symbolism of launching the program in Papua Tengah also resonates on a national scale. For decades, development in Papua has been framed largely in terms of security and infrastructure, with agriculture often treated as secondary. By foregrounding food security, DPD RI is reframing the narrative.
This new approach suggests that prosperity and stability can be achieved not through extractive industries or militarized policies but through empowering farmers, strengthening communities, and integrating Papua into the national food system. The beating of the tifa drum at the launch was thus more than ceremonial—it signaled a cultural and political shift, acknowledging Papua’s role in shaping Indonesia’s future.
What Comes Next?
The real test will come not in speeches or ceremonies but in fields and markets. Will the corn planted in Timika thrive? Will farmers see increased incomes? Will Bulog absorb harvests at fair prices? Will the program expand to cover larger areas and include other crops suited to Papua Tengah’s agroecology?
DPD RI has outlined next steps that include monitoring and evaluation, scaling up to other provinces, institutional embedding into national agricultural policy, and strengthening market systems. Success will depend on consistent government support, active farmer participation, and the ability to adapt strategies as challenges arise.
Conclusion
In the broader narrative of Indonesia’s development, the Papua Tengah food security program stands as a microcosm of the nation’s aspirations and dilemmas. It embodies the tension between ambitious national goals and local realities, between tradition and modernity, and between central policy and community empowerment.
If it succeeds, it could become a blueprint for agricultural revitalization across eastern Indonesia, helping bridge the gap between Java-centric development and the outer provinces. If it falters, it will serve as a reminder that grand visions require more than symbolism—they require sustained effort, resources, and accountability.