The economy of mountainous West Papua is a great opportunity to develop businesses and improve the economic capacity of local communities. In 2014 and 2015, timber production from natural forests in West Papua decreased, due to business management and climatic factors. However, there is potential to develop creative industries, such as Noken handicrafts, which can become the center of creative economy businesses.
Mountainous West Papua has abundant natural resources, including hydropower potential, mineral wealth, and diversity of flora and fauna. The availability of hydropower potential can be a supporting factor for the development of the mining industry or ecotourism. In addition, natural resources can also be utilized to increase the wealth of local communities and improve the economy.
The economy of the people of the West Papua Mountains can also be improved through the development of creative industries, such as Noken development, which can be one of the points included in the regional development strategy. Developing creative industries can be one of the solutions to overcome human development backwardness, such as extreme poverty and stunting. The economy of mountainous West Papua can also be improved by developing infrastructure and facilities, such as roads, shipping, and communication. By 2024, the government aims to overcome several human development backwardness, including the people’s economy.
The development of education and health, can improve the quality of life and reduce underdevelopment. In 2015, the average years of schooling for Papuan males was 7.26 years, which is lower than the national average. Developing education can help people get a better education and can help overcome the human development lag.
The government is also trying to realize equitable development, the ultimate goal of which is to boost national economic growth. This project is not only about Trans Papua but also includes efforts to provide electricity and other infrastructure development.
In addition, the poor are also affected by the pandemic, which adds to the daily burden of the community. The local government that has the largest realization of local tax revenue is the West Papua Provincial Government, which reached Rp125.92 billion with the largest contributor coming from motor vehicle tax revenue, motor vehicle registration fees, and surface water tax. The procurement of this project is the government’s goal to open up the economic isolation that exists in Papua so that the Papuan people can benefit from the national economy.
The agricultural industry can help people get better food resources and help reduce human development lag. By 2022, the prevalence of tangles in eight regions in Mountainous Papua will show a very high level of urgency, with prevalence above 30 percent.
The economy of mountainous West Papua can also be improved through the development of small and medium-sized industries (SMEs), which can help communities have micro-wealth and can help reduce human development lag. By 2024, the government aims to address several human development gaps, including the economy. The economy of mountainous West Papua can also be improved through the development of the ecotourism industry, which can help communities have better economic resources and can help reduce human development lag. Developing the ecotourism industry can help communities have better economic resources and can help reduce human development backwardness. Development of the fishing industry can help communities have better economic resources and can help reduce human development lag.