MERAUKE, PAPUA SELATAN – Iska Bekai Cooperative is proud to announce the start of the community-based oil palm plantation development stage, this step is a real achievement in realizing a community oil palm plantation of 5,657.33 hectares with the initial stage focusing on an area of 1,000 hectares in Salam Epe Village and Nakias Village, Ngguti District, Merauke Regency, South Papua Province.
Iska Bekai Cooperative was established on February 13, 2016 and has become an independent cooperative since receiving direction from the Merauke Regional Government and stakeholder support to seek to accelerate independence, with the support of PT Tritama Lestari as a companion, Iska Bekai Cooperative manages independent cooperative management, including labor and finance independently.
The Chairman of the Iska Bekai Multipurpose Cooperative, Abraham E. Yolmen, expressed his appreciation to the Regent of Merauke and the community, especially the 17 clans that provided support including the people of 4 villages from Salam Epe, Nakias, Taga Epe, and Ihalik, “This independent cooperative is the pride of the people of Merauke and Papua and is expected to become a model for independent oil palm cooperatives in other regions,” said Abraham E. Yolmen.
This land clearing has gone through various processes of socialization and community approval, permits and technical surveys, including IPL or IPK, timber cruising, Geographic Information System spatial analysis, and contractor appointment and after land clearing, will continue with the nursery and planting stage until finally entering the harvesting stage.
Iska Bekai Cooperative is committed to sustainability and good governance standards. The representative of the Merauke District Food Crops, Horticulture and Plantation Office, Meriana expressed her appreciation and full support for this initiative and is ready to foster the cooperative from the land clearing stage to the sale of fresh fruit bunches, “Iska Bekai Cooperative is in accordance with government regulations, namely Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture Number 18 of 2021 concerning Facilitation of the Development of Neighboring Community Gardens and the provision of 20 percent allocation for the community,” Meriana said.
The Head of Planning from the South Papua Provincial Forestry Service, Yeri Reba, said that the land to be used for the opening of oil palm plantations was in accordance with its designation, not a forest area and the cooperative had paid contributions in accordance with the provisions, namely the Forest Resources Provision Fee-Reforestation Fund, besides that Miftakhul Azizah, Secretary of the Department of Industry, Trade, Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises of Merauke Regency said that the Iska Bekai cooperative could realize the benefits of the cooperative for the surrounding community, especially for the people of 17 clans in four villages who are members of the cooperative and Iswanto, a representative of the Merauke Regency Investment and One-Stop Integrated Service Office, expressed his hope that in the future the management of plantations managed by cooperatives would be carried out transparently.
Representative of Community Leaders, Benony Samma also hopes that the cooperative will be managed properly and be able to improve welfare for the community, “Iska Bekai Cooperative is an asset of the Merauke community that needs to be maintained together and can be an inspiration for piloting for other regions in managing oil palm plantations through cooperatives, which can provide benefits for the welfare of the community, especially in the fields of Economy, Health, Education and the majority of people support this cooperative,” he said.
Edward Ginting from PT Tritama Lestari, as the facilitator of the Iska Bekai cooperative, added that the cooperative is committed to the standards of sustainable oil palm plantation development and among others, preserving High Conservation Value forests through protection in the areas of:
- Sacred,
- Riverbanks,
- Swampy areas,
- Wetlands,
- Water Spring,
- An important source of life for the community.
“As well as the implementation of the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent process, all decision-making processes are carried out through socialization and approval of cooperative members, clan leaders, village heads, and customary leaders, as well as local governments,” Edward Ginting said.
The event was attended by several guests of honor, namely:
- Archdiocese of Merauke, Father Hendrikus Kariwor M.sc.
- Roni Paulus Wigo, Head of Salam Epe Village,
- Samuel Blamen, Head of Nakias Village,
- Other community leaders.
Iska Bekai Multipurpose Cooperative is a business entity formed by customary owners from 17 clans in Ngguti District, Merauke Regency, South Papua to independently manage community oil palm plantations and the purpose of this cooperative is to empower the community through independent and sustainable management of oil palm plantations and to improve the economic welfare of the local community.
