WAMENA – The Papua Pegunungan Provincial Government continues to strengthen the cooperative sector as part of its efforts to improve the local economy. One of its initiatives involves supporting a cooperative operating in Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency, which focuses on collecting and marketing agricultural and plantation products from local communities.
Through the Department of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), the provincial government is working to establish cooperatives as platforms that help local producers distribute their products and gain access to wider markets. Agricultural commodities from eight regencies across Papua Pegunungan are expected to be managed and marketed more effectively through the cooperative.
Various local commodities have been collected, including Arabica coffee, shallots, garlic, locally produced rice, eggs, soybeans, corn, and marine fish. The collection of these products is part of an effort to strengthen the distribution chain for local produce while creating opportunities to increase income for farmers and local business operators.
The Head of the Papua Pegunungan Department of Cooperatives and SMEs, Alpius Yigibalom, stated in an ANTARA news report that the government had provided support for the cooperative’s development, including an initial loan of approximately IDR 1 billion to its management team.
The assistance is expected to support the cooperative’s operations in collecting local agricultural products and expanding their market reach. Through this initiative, the cooperative is expected to serve not only as a business institution but also as a link between local producers and broader markets.
The Papua Pegunungan Provincial Government hopes that the supported cooperative will deliver tangible benefits to local communities, particularly by increasing the economic value of regional commodities and strengthening the region’s economic independence.
The development of the cooperative also represents a broader effort to unlock the potential of agriculture and plantations in Papua Pegunungan, improve market access for local producers, and contribute to sustainable economic growth throughout the region.
