NABIRE – The Nabire Regency Government, Central Papua, is continuing to promote the development of its plantation sector through a program providing 3.6 million cocoa seedlings from the Ministry of Agriculture. Funded by the State Budget (APBN), the program aims to increase farmers’ productivity while expanding community cocoa plantations by up to 3,000 hectares.
Head of the Nabire Regency Agriculture and Livestock Agency, I Dewa Ayu Dwita K M, said the program covers the replanting of 1,000 hectares of existing cocoa plantations and the expansion of cultivation areas by an additional 2,000 hectares.
According to her, Nabire has approximately 26,000 hectares of land with potential for cocoa cultivation. However, only around 7,000 hectares have been utilized so far, leaving significant opportunities to increase production through plantation expansion.
Of the total seedlings allocated, 3 million will be used for new planting, while the remaining 600,000 seedlings will be distributed for replanting purposes to replace plants that fail to grow properly.
The program targets 158 farmer groups across eight districts: Yaro, Yaur, Wanggar, West Nabire, Uwapa, Teluk Kimi, Makimi, and Wapoga. Of these, 101 farmer groups will receive assistance for plantation expansion, while the other 57 groups will benefit from cocoa plantation rejuvenation.
For the initial phase, 400,000 seedlings have been prepared for distribution, scheduled to begin in the third week of November 2026. The first distribution will prioritize farmer groups in Yaro and Yaur districts. The government aims to complete the distribution of all 3.6 million seedlings gradually by January 2027.
Under the program, approximately 1,000 seedlings are required for every hectare of land. In addition to providing seedlings, the Ministry of Agriculture is also allocating operational assistance of Rp13,000 for each planting hole prepared by farmers. The funds will be transferred directly to the farmers’ bank accounts upon submission of photographic evidence showing the prepared planting holes.
The Nabire Regency Government hopes this program will encourage local communities to resume cocoa cultivation as an economically valuable plantation commodity. In recent years, cocoa farming activities in several areas have declined, with some farmers having abandoned cultivation altogether.
The government estimates that cocoa plants developed through this program will begin producing harvests within the next three to four years. With proper cultivation and maintenance, the harvest is expected to increase household incomes while strengthening cocoa’s position as one of Nabire Regency’s leading commodities.
To ensure the program achieves its objectives, the Nabire Regency Agriculture and Livestock Agency will also provide assistance and guidance to farmer groups, covering the entire process from planting to crop maintenance until the trees reach productive maturity.
Furthermore, the government will focus on preparing post-harvest processing facilities and improving market access to ensure that farmers’ cocoa production generates greater added value and can be effectively absorbed by the market.
