goodmorningpapua.com – The mangrove planting for 50 hectares in Maibo Village, Sorong, West Papua was enthusiastically welcomed by residents.
A Head of Maibo Village, Sudin Simurut, assessed that the mangrove rehabilitation conducted by the Peat and Mangrove Restoration Agency (BRGM) through the National Economic Recovery Program (PEN) was very beneficial.
“From the wages for planting mangroves, residents get daily money. For the payment of wages for planting mangroves, they are transferred directly to the residents’ accounts,” said Sub-Department of Simurut.
Even, continued Subin, the money was also used by some residents to open new businesses and buy motorbikes as a means of transporting their children to school.
“Women getting wages from planting mangroves can now open new businesses, buy used motorbikes to take their children to school, can buy school supplies, and the rest can fulfill their kitchen needs,” he said.
However, the Sub-Department hopes that in the future there will be assistance in the form of fishing equipment for residents, so that they will no longer mine coral. The reason is, the recovery of the mangrove ecosystem can increase the number of marine biota such as fish and crabs.
“If there is assistance with fishing equipment, later residents can use fish marine products to be brought to the village, it can also be sold to the afternoon market and morning market,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, Secretary of BRGM Ayu Dewi Utari said that the rehabilitation of mangroves aims to improve the people’s economy, especially during the pandemic.
“We see that the people here depend on the mangrove ecosystem. Papua is beautiful, fertile and must be protected. We hope that this mangrove rehabilitation activity will encourage the community to live a better life,” said Ayu.
As is known, the restoration of the mangrove ecosystem can provide extraordinary benefits for life, such as protecting beaches from abrasion, hindering seawater intrusion, increasing marine product production, and becoming an ecotourism destination.