Senator David Harol Worumi : Opening of 100 Hectares of Tani Merdeka Farmland in Biak to Become a Pilot Project in Papua

BIAK, Waironnews.com – The Tani Merdeka organization of Biak Numfor Regency has opened 100 hectares of agricultural land as part of an effort to support the food self-sufficiency program initiated by President Prabowo Subianto.

The initiative is expected to serve as a pilot project for agricultural development in the Land of Papua. This was conveyed by Senator David Harol Worumi during a working visit to Moibaken Village on Saturday (14/03/2026).

The member of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) of the Republic of Indonesia from Papua Province, who also serves as Chairman of the Regional Leadership Council (DPW) of Tani Merdeka Indonesia for Papua Province, expressed his appreciation to farmers and the Tani Merdeka management in Biak Numfor for their initiative in opening the agricultural land.

According to David, the land clearing is a concrete form of support for the national food security and food self-sufficiency program initiated by President Prabowo.

“First of all, we would like to express our appreciation to President Prabowo, who also serves as an advisor to Tani Merdeka Indonesia,” he said.

He also expressed appreciation to Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono as the patron of Tani Merdeka, as well as the Chairman of Tani Merdeka Indonesia, Don Muzakir. David explained that he was officially appointed as Chairman of the DPW of Tani Merdeka Papua on November 13, 2025, for the 2025–2030 leadership period.

In this role, he is responsible for coordinating the Tani Merdeka organization across Papua, guiding district and city administrators, and encouraging food security programs and agricultural sector development. He assessed that the land clearing activity in Biak Numfor marks an important initial step in providing solutions for agricultural sector development, not only at the regional level but also across Papua.

“We hope this activity can become a solution for Biak Numfor Regency and Papua Province as a whole. Our hope is that this will become a pilot project that, if successful, can be implemented in other regions across the Land of Papua,” he said.

David added that if the program runs well through collaboration between Tani Merdeka administrators and the regional government, the food self-sufficiency target set by President Prabowo can be achieved evenly across Papua. He also called for support from both the central and regional governments, particularly in providing agricultural facilities and infrastructure for farmers. According to him, agricultural extension workers and farmers are still working with limited equipment, and most land cultivation is still done manually.

“We hope the government can provide integrated support in the form of agricultural machinery, seeds, and fertilizers so that farmers can manage the land optimally,” he said.

David believes that farmers in Biak Numfor Regency have shown readiness and strong commitment to supporting government programs in the agricultural sector.

“I am here because I see that farmers and Tani Merdeka administrators in Biak Numfor truly support President Prabowo’s program. Therefore, we convey our respect and appreciation to him from all farmers,” David said.

The opening of the 100 hectares of agricultural land is expected to mark the beginning of the development of a productive agricultural area in Biak Numfor and become a model for strengthening food security across Papua.

HDK