The UGM Faculty of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Berau Regency Government in East Kalimantan and partners, has implemented the Inspirational Action Program for Citizens towards Change for Prosperous Communities (Pejuang Sigap Sejahtera).
The program aims to improve the human resources (HR) quality in Berau Regency by facilitating village governance, natural resource management, and economic development.
“We provide assistance to 100 villages in Berau Regency,” said program head Dr. Arman Wijonarko.
The Pejuang Sigap Sejahtera (PSS) program in Berau, according to Dr. Wijonarko, is a community-based empowerment activity conducted by the Faculty of Agriculture in collaboration with the Berau Regency Government and partners from the Nusantara Conservation Foundation (YKAN) and the Dharma Bhakti Berau Coal Foundation (YDBBC).
This community-based program encourages efforts to strengthen sustainable village planning and development.
Over the last five years, Dr. Wijonarko stated that the achievements of the village governance strengthening program have successfully raised the status of 100 villages.
Initially, there were 18 very underdeveloped villages, 49 underdeveloped villages, 27 developing villages, and six advanced villages. Now, the status has been elevated to 43 developing villages, 39 advanced villages, and 17 independent villages.
“There is only one underdeveloped village left, and there are no more very underdeveloped villages,” he explained.
Regarding the village economic development program, Dr. Wijonarko mentioned that there is still one village without a Village-Owned Business Entity (BUMK). The rest, totaling 99 villages, already have Village-Owned Business Entities (BUMK).
“28 BUMKs already have legal status, and 71 BUMKs are in the process of legal issuance,” he said.
The Secretary of PSS Berau, Yusuf Wibisono, appreciated the thought contributions and assistance the Faculty of Agriculture provided.
He stated that this empowerment activity through collaboration between universities, governments, the private sector, and communities has accelerated natural resource management in Berau.
Currently, the area of social forestry in Berau reaches 98,927 hectares, with details of the forest village scheme reaching 97,204 hectares, forestry partnerships 544.1 hectares, and people’s plantation forests 1,096 hectares.
“In total, 20 social forestry areas have received permits from the Ministry of Environment, while two others are in the application stage,” he said.
Wibisono hopes that the Sigap Sejahtera (PSS) Program in Berau Regency can improve the community’s economic welfare and village infrastructure development, involving the community as both objects and subjects to achieve prosperity in Berau Regency.
Author: Gusti Grehenson