Issues and Challenges in the Sulawesi Region

The Sulawesi region, as one of the largest islands in Indonesia, faces various significant issues and challenges in efforts to improve development and community welfare.

This challenge covers various aspects, ranging from the quality of human resources, infrastructure, to environmental and social issues. Here are some of the main issues that need serious attention

First, the quality of the workforce’s human resources is low and does not meet DUDI’s needs. One of the main challenges in Sulawesi is the low quality of human resources (HR) in the workforce which does not yet meet the needs of the Business and Industrial World (DUDI).

Lack of education and training relevant to industry needs causes a mismatch between workforce skills and market demand. As a result, many industries experience difficulty in obtaining competent workers, which in turn hinders regional economic growth.

Second, the regional infrastructure network is not yet fully connected and integrated. Inadequate infrastructure is a major obstacle in the development of the Sulawesi region. The transportation network, including roads, ports and airports, is not yet optimally connected and integrated.

This causes difficulties in the distribution of goods and services, as well as increasing logistics costs. This limited infrastructure also has an impact on people’s accessibility to basic services such as education and health.

Third, diversification of new economic activities at an early stage. Sulawesi is in the early stages of diversifying its economic activities. So far, this region’s economy has depended heavily on the agricultural and mining sectors.

Even though diversification efforts have begun, such as developing the tourism sector and creative industries, they still require further support in the form of policies, investment and increasing human resource capacity so that they can develop more quickly and sustainably.

Fourth, the threat of disasters is high, but readiness to mitigate and anticipate climate change is still low. Sulawesi is an area with a high risk of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. However, readiness to mitigate and anticipate disasters and climate change is still low.

Inadequate infrastructure and early warning systems, as well as a lack of public education and awareness about disaster mitigation, increase the vulnerability of this region to the impacts of natural disasters.

Fifth, the threat of deforestation. Deforestation is a serious threat to environmental sustainability in Sulawesi. Land clearing for agriculture, plantations and infrastructure development has caused significant forest destruction.

Forest loss not only threatens biodiversity but also increases the risk of natural disasters such as floods and landslides, and contributes to global climate change.

Sixth, local cultural wisdom and traditions have not been capitalized on, becoming drivers of regional growth. Sulawesi is rich in unique and diverse cultural wisdom and local traditions. However, this potential has not been optimally capitalized as a driver of regional economic growth.

Utilizing local culture through the tourism, arts and crafts industry can provide significant added value. Unfortunately, there is no comprehensive strategy to integrate this cultural richness into regional economic development plans.

Seventh, residential development around rapidly growing industrial areas has not been organized. The rapid development of industrial areas in Sulawesi is not accompanied by adequate settlement arrangements.

Many settlements grow sporadically without proper planning, resulting in social and environmental problems such as congestion, pollution and lack of public facilities. Good settlement planning is very important to support sustainable industrial development and improve the quality of life of the community.

Thursday, May 16th, 2024
Public Communication Team
Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas
Https://linktr.ee/suharsomonoarfa

Follow:
Minister PPN’s Instagram: @suharsomonoarfa
Minister PPN’s Twitter: @Suharso_M
Minister PPN’s Facebook: Suharso Monoarfa
Minister PPN’s Youtube: Suharso Monoarfa