TANIMBAR ISLANDS (June 26, 2024) - During a working visit to the Tanimbar Islands, Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini provided various empowerment assistance for the community at the Tanimbar Islands Regent Hall on Wednesday (6/26). Some empowerment assistance provided included weaving tools and materials, marine fish processing tools, coconut oil processing tools, and laying hens. In addition, the empowerment of cage fish cultivation, outboard boat engines, and fishing gear, as well as empowerment of seaweed cultivation.

Social Affairs Minister Risma talked directly with several residents to ask about their needs and provide advice for future business development. To the Tanimbar Islands weaving artisans group, Social Affairs Minister Risma advised increasing the color of the yarn and not only producing cloth but also making it into bags so that the price value is more expensive. "Now what people are looking for is natural colors, from leaves. It has to be like this, if you want to sell, we won't just make it, we'll teach it. If it's just clothes, people buy one. If you make one bag, one shirt, I buy both," said Social Affairs Minister Risma.

Social Affairs Minister Risma then provided a solution to the Tanimbar fishermen group who received marine fish processing equipment assistance to increase income by training fishermen's wives in processing fish into high-value products, such as fish balls, empek-empek, beef jerky, and shredded. "If the fish is only sold fresh, the profit is limited. However, if processed into other products, it can be sold to a wider market, including Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung," said Risma. Furthermore, Risma also emphasized the importance of intensification in managing fish catches. "Some fish are sold fresh, and some are processed into products such as beef jerky and shredded," said the minister.

To a group of coconut farmers, Risma said that processing coconut into cooking oil provides more value than just making it copra. However, with the help of this coconut oil processing equipment, coconut fruit can be processed into coconut oil, which has a higher selling value. The community also plans to utilize coconut shells that have been wasted by making them into charcoal that can be sold and used for cooking purposes, thus reducing the cost of purchasing gas or oil. "Maybe we can make charcoal and then produce charcoal so we can sell it to other mothers," said Leobardus Batmomolin (31), who received coconut oil processing equipment.

Social Minister Risma then suggested to seaweed farmers, who usually sell seaweed in a wet state, to process the seaweed using a dryer so that it can be marketed further because if it is moist, the price is low, but the shipping costs are expensive. On the other hand, if it is dry, the price will be higher, but the shipping costs will be lower. Social Affairs Minister Risma asked young people to process the seaweed and will provide training.

According to Risma, after talking with several beneficiaries, several problems arose, one of which was related to marketing, which was still in the local area. "Well, it was found that some problems are how to market. We are usually not as dense as training and then finished, but we teach how to market," said Social Minister Risma. The Ministry of Social Affairs will provide assistance and training gradually on how to package and market products so that the community's economy can improve.