RRI.CO.ID, Wamena - The Jayawijaya Regency Administration in Papua Highland Province is intensifying its push for regional food sovereignty by encouraging residents across 328 villages to prioritize local crops over imported staples.

This initiative was highlighted during a grand sweet potato harvest in Hubikiak Subdistrict, Highland Papua, on Friday, March 13, where local authorities emphasized that self-sufficiency is key to the region's long-term resilience.

Deputy Regent of Jayawijaya, Ronny Elopere, lauded the Walak Tribe for successfully cultivating approximately two hectares of sweet potatoes, framing their dedication as a blueprint for other communities.

“What the Walak Tribe has achieved, serves as an example for other residents to continue developing local food crops to maintain availability and food independence,” said Ronny, as quoted by Antara.

He noted that such grassroots movements are essential in motivating families across the regency to return to traditional farming practices.

Central to this cultural and nutritional preservation is the hipere (sweet potato), which has served as the ancestral staple for the indigenous people of Highland Papua for generations. While modern diets have introduced rice, Ronny warned against the gradual displacement of indigenous food sources.

"The staple food of the indigenous people of Highland Papua is hipere. We can eat rice, but we must not forget staples like hipere and taro. We need to maintain them because, over time, they could disappear," he remarked.

The Deputy Regent further urged the community to safeguard their agricultural heritage, noting that the region's fertile soil requires no chemical fertilizers to produce high-quality yields. He issued a specific call to action for the younger generation to view land cultivation through an entrepreneurial lens.

Ronny concluded that parents must instill a deep appreciation for the land in their children from an early age, ensuring they have the vision to manage the region's natural resources optimally for a prosperous future. ***

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