Category Archives: Food
Milling Facilities Not Working Yet
In 2008, government have built milling facilities in Sota Village. It was purposed to process local cassavas, sweet potatoes, yams, and other tubers. The Head of District have organize a meeting with local villagers and I have been appointed as Team Leader to manage the facilities. We have organize series of meeting and listed down all of villagers who have producing any kinds of tubers to supply our raw materials. Unfortunately, the milling facilities can not be run on until today for two reasons. First, it’s cutting apparatus is not appropriate. District officials have promised to replace it but no realized yet. Second, the facilities itself not yet handed over officially from higher authority to the District government and the Merauke Regency Office of Industry, Trade and Cooperative.
- Nikolaus Ndiken, Villager of Sota, District of Sota, Merauke.
Posted in CITIZEN REPORTS, Food, Infrastructure, Livelihood, Public Services
Tagged Merauke, Sota
Leave a comment
Unbalanced Price of Local Fishes
Huge swamps are surrounding Wayau Village: rich of fishes but market price is too low (Photo: KIZITO HERU)
The price of fishes in my village, Wayau, is not fair. Usually we sell one string of big fishes at price of IDR 10,000 (USD 1.1). But it was not a fixed one since the buyers –people who have passed by in our village– always bargained with many reasons such as difficult access because of damaged road, et cetera. Many of our villagers have no choices and, then, sell their fishes at proce of IDR 7,000 (USD 0.8) per string. I myself always defend the common price of IDR 10,000. This is really unbalanced. The price of rice now is IDR 10,000 per kilogram. The prices of other items such as soap, clothes, and other our daily necessities keep increasing. If the price of our fishes continuously decreasing, how can we get adequate foods?
- Coleta Gebze, Villager of Wayau, District of Animha, Merauke.
Less Working Capital, Farming Activities Stop
Melki Tomba in his farn yard in Zanegi (Photo: KIZITO HERU)
In Zanegi Village, there is a farming group of local women. They have appointed me as leader of the group. Our main activity is to plant our farm land with various crops such as cassava, yam, eggplants, and vegetable beans. Last year, we have a successful harvest but, unfortunately, no adequate marketing channels, then, we just sold all of our products in our own village and nearby. At the time, we earned about IDR 450,000 (USD 50) and shared it equally for all members of the group. So, no remain for our working capital for next season. Finally, members of the group less enthusiasm to continue our collective farming. Can government assist us to solve the problem…?
- Melki Tomba, Villager of Zanegi, District of Animha, Merauke.
Posted in CITIZEN REPORTS, Food, Livelihood, Public Services
Tagged Animha, Merauke, Zanegi
Leave a comment
Company Came, More Difficult To Get Foods
In 2008, a team of officials of company namely PT. Selaras Inti Semesta (SIS) came to convince us, the villagers of Zanegi, about their plan to clear our forests for their plantation estate. They are Mr. Wilson, Daniel, Tri Waluyo, and Agustinus Nata. They said that the last person, Mr. Nata, is the third top officials of the company. Now we heard that all of them are no longer in the company. The company have started to cut forests in February 2010. It was proved later that inside the area, some parts are hunting and gathering grounds of local villagers both for collecting sago starch and catching fishes.
- Bonifasius Gebze, Villager of Zanegi, Animha District, Merauke.
Posted in CITIZEN REPORTS, Food, Land & Environment, Livelihood
Tagged Anmha, Merauke, Zanegi
Leave a comment
Rice Scarcity in Bupul
Close to the end of 2012, people in Bupul area have experiencing difficulties to buy rice in local kiosks. Children cried to their parents asked rice for their meals since several weeks they only ate sago starch, bananas or tubers as their staple foods. From the first to fourth weeks of January, there is still no signs that scarcity will be ended. At the time, some mothers stood up in front of local kindergarten. While waiting for their kids, they have also waiting for small trucks passed by. The women stopped the trucks and asked the drivers whether they brought rice or not. The women said that they will pay double for the rice.
Even soldiers garrisoned in Maro outpost as guards of borderline with PNG have similar experience. The field commander of the unit told the Priest of Bupul Parish, Father Vincent Tamba Pr, that they only ate instant noodles for weeks since their deployment last December 2011. They went to Simpati (local market) but found all of rice stocks there already sold out. People now requesting the government to get lessons from this situation and resolve the problem soon.
- Wiem Anggojai, Villager of Bupul, District of Bupul, Merauke.
2011 © SKP-KAME, Merauke