Indonesia, China exploring agri-research center cooperation in Salor

 The Indonesian Ministry of Transmigration and the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia are exploring a partnership to develop an agricultural research center in the Salor Transmigration Area in Merauke, South Papua.

The partnership also covers vocational education and the strengthening of the food ecosystem.

In a statement received on Thursday, Minister of Transmigration M. Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara said that the initiative aims to support food self-sufficiency and elevate the quality of education for the Papuan people.

"China will provide a grant to establish an agricultural research center, as we want to focus on achieving food self-sufficiency through food hubs, alongside a vocational school for the agricultural sector," the minister said.

He explained that based on research conducted by the ministry's Patriot Expedition Team in 2025, several factors continue to challenge agricultural productivity in the transmigration area, including issues related to seedling quality, pests, irrigation, and roads.

The local government has proposed developing agricultural machinery workshops to service the national food hub, which boasts over 60,000 hectares of rice fields.

To address the challenges, the Ministry of Transmigration plans to involve partner universities, including IPB University, to support the development of the agricultural ecosystem in Salor.

Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Wang Lutong noted that the Salor Transmigration Area holds massive potential to develop a modern agricultural system and emerge as a new satellite city in South Papua.

In addition to increasing food production, he also noted opportunities to develop supporting industries, particularly the manufacturing of agricultural machinery and equipment.