Wamena, Jubi – Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) noted that the percentage of poverty in Jayawijaya Regency from 2015-2016 slightly increase.
“Previously in 2015 poor population in Jayawijaya was around 39.48 percent, in 2016 up by 39.66 percent,” said head of Jayawijaya BPS, Cendana Murti on Wednesday (October 4).
The BPS data shows that the increase is not too high compared to other regencies in the central highlands of Papua. Among them Lanny Jaya by 41.97 percent in the year from 2015 and it fell to 41.68 percent in 2016.
BPS analysis that the cause of poverty in Jayawijaya by decreasing local agricultural activity. “It is one of the causes of poverty rate increasing,” explained Cendana.
He explained that Jayawijaya’s gross regional domestic product (PDRB) shows the agriculture sector is declining; while in the prospect of business in agricultural sector still wide-open in the community. BPS said they will work to find the cause of this oddity.
Meanwhile, at national level, the data shows that number of poor people in rural areas almost doubled compared to urban areas. Based on inter-island distribution, the poor are predominantly settled in Maluku and Papua.
“The national data on the number of poor people fell to 27.76 million in September compared to March 2016 of 28.01 million people,” said Central BPS Head Suhariyanto.
The decline was overshadowed by the high disparities between residents in urban areas and rural residents. “This is a challenge for the government. This big issue that we face and does not change,” said Suhariyanto.(tabloidjubi.com/Zely Araine)
