Approximately 270 UGM Community Service Program (KKN-PPM) students will be deployed to nine transmigration areas in Indonesia.
These locations are Lunang Silaut in Pesisir Regency, West Sumatra; Batu Ketumpang in South Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung; Lagita in North Bengkulu Regency, Bengkulu; and Rasau Jaya in Kubu Raya Regency, West Kalimantan.
Other locations include Cahaya Baru in Barito Kuala Regency, South Kalimantan; Telang in Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra; Tobadak in Central Mamuju Regency, Southeast Sulawesi; Lamunti Dadahup in Kapuas Regency, Central Kalimantan; and Mutiara in Muna Regency, Southeast Sulawesi.
Dr. Rustamadji, UGM Director of Community Service, stated that KKN-PPM students will deploy mid-year alongside thousands of other students across Indonesia. The presence of KKN-PPM students in transmigration areas is expected to enhance the skills of transmigrants in managing local resources.
“We hope our KKN-PPM students can drive economic growth and promote the production of flagship products, not just in agriculture but also in other sectors,” Dr. Rustamadji said after signing a contract agreement between the UGM Directorate of Community Service and the Directorate of Transmigration Area Development, Ministry of Village, for the 2024 Thematic Transmigration KKN-PPM program on Friday (May 31).
Dr. Rustamadji noted that this deployment results from the collaboration between UGM and the Ministry of Village. He believes this synergistic partnership can benefit transmigrants and improve their well-being.
“I think this synergy can benefit both parties and become a legacy in advancing and developing transmigration areas,” he said.
Sigit Mustofa Nurudin, Secretary of the Directorate General for Development of Transmigration Areas at the Ministry of Village, stated that the deployment of UGM KKN-PPM students can support and encourage the regeneration of farmers in transmigration areas, turning these areas into local growth centers.
“Currently, the enthusiasm for becoming a farmer is very low, and we need to improve the community’s mindset regarding this profession, showing that it can be promising and attractive to the youth, depending on how we can enhance its appeal,” Nurudin explained.
Nurudin hopes that KKN-PPM students can enhance the potential of transmigrants to manage local resources better, thereby increasing their income and overall welfare.
He mentioned that the ministry can only send around 200 families to transmigration areas yearly, far below the waiting list of 5,700 families. This starkly contrasts 25-30 years ago, when the government could send 50,000 to 100,000 families.
“The transmigration budget used to reach Rp 5 trillion, but now the ministry’s budget is Rp 2.7 trillion, with only Rp 200 billion allocated for transmigration,” he explained.
Despite having strong laws and regulations regarding transmigration, Nurudin stated that they cannot rely solely on state budget funds (APBN). Moving forward, they plan to collaborate with businesses and private companies to support the development of transmigration areas.
Author: Gusti Grehenson