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Acting West Sulawesi Governor Bahtiar Baharuddin is determined to make West Sulawesi Province one of Indonesia's crab-producing regions.
"We are trying to make West Sulawesi one of the crab-producing provinces. Moreover, this commodity has export opportunities to several countries, [hence] it has great potential to be developed," he stated in Mamuju Regency, West Sulawesi on Aug. 17, 2024.
Bahtiar added that West Sulawesi's great potential for the development of crab production because it has thousands of hectares of mangrove forests from the regencies of Polewali Mandar to Pasangkayu.
To realize that commitment, Bahtiar said that the West Sulawesi Provincial Government worked together with other West Sulawesi Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) elements to distribute crab eggs.
"The distribution of crab eggs that we have carried out in the mangrove areas of Bambu Village and Sumare Village in Mamuju Regency is an initial step, and we invite the local community to work together to turn West Sulawesi into a crab-producing region," he explained.
"The spreading of crab eggs is also done in celebration of the 79th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Indonesia. The spreading of crab [eggs] is intended to free the local community from backwardness and poverty," Bahtiar added.
West Sulawesi Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) Speaker Sitti Suraidah Suhardi also supports the Acting West Sulawesi Governor's program to stimulate the region's green and blue economies. The programs also aims to have the province reach food sovereignty as a solution in response to the current global situation.
"We have extensive mangrove forests here (West Sulawesi). Let's use it for the welfare of the people in West Sulawesi, and let's take care of the mangroves," she added.
West Sulawesi Police Chief Insp. Gen. Adang Ginanjar conveyed the police's commitment to supporting environmental conservation efforts, especially mangrove forests in West Sulawesi.
The Police Chief also emphasized that the police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) are also committed to jointly supervising and coaching the community to protect the environment.
"We have had cases of fish bombs and other [threats] that have been given legal action. So, everyone let's protect the environment so that our fishermen and our region are safe," said Adang Ginanjar.
Meanwhile, Bambu Village Head Hartono expressed his gratitude for the Acting West Sulawesi Governor's attention to the people of Bambu Village. He added that assistance in the form of spreading crab eggs around the village's mangroves could eventually generate income for the villagers.
"Hopefully, the local community could utilize the mangrove area to look for crabs to generate alternative income as a result of the program if they cannot go to sea," Hartono explained.
He also also invited the local community to work together to maintain the mangroves and the survival of crabs in Bambu Village.
Moreover, Sumare Village Head Samar said that the crab eggs-spreading program was very helpful for his residents to get alternative income. Samar also supports the Acting West Sulawesi Governor 's program to work together to protect the mangroves in Sumare Village.
"These mangroves prevent erosion in our village, and prevent waves from entering the residential area," he concluded.
