Marabahan, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The government of Barito Kuala (Batola) District, South Kalimantan, is collaborating with Eco Fesyen Indonesia (EFI) to boost the development of purun danau (grey sedge grass) through planting purun and building House of Purun in Asia Baru Village, Kuripan Sub-district, Thursday (July 22, 2021).
Batola is one of two places in Indonesia for the incubator program of the Peat and Mangrove Restoration Agency (BRGM) funded by the Norwegian government and managed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).
The program, which has been implemented by EFI since 2020 encourages the development of sustainable purun businesses.
The symbolic planting of purun danau and laying the first wood for the construction of the House of Purun were carried out by the Regent of Batola Noormiliyani in Asia Baru Village.
With this program, it is hoped that people in Kuripan will better understand the economic value of purun that it can be made into various products, not only a traditional handicraft of bakul (woven bamboo basket) or purun hats.
"Hopefully this program will further improve the welfare of the community. While the House of Purun can serve as means of education as well as encourages the potential of purun tourism in Batola," she added.
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Meanwhile, EFI Program Director Mahfirlana Mashadi said that the program could lift Batola's purun to the national, even the international level.
Mahfirlana added that the planting this time is not only in Asia Baru, but also in Jarenang Village, Kabuau Village, and Jambu Village, in Kuripan Sub-district.
"200 thousand purun seedlings are planted on the village-owned land with an area of about four hectares," he said.
He explained that each village planted one hectare of land with 50 thousand purun seedlings.
