ACEH PROMOTES SABANG AS ITS TOURISM ICON

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 29 (Antara) - Aceh is one of Indonesia's 34 provinces rich in tourism potentials which could be promoted as a popular foreign tourist destination in the western part of the country.          Aceh tourism objects are no less interesting than those of other cities in Indonesia. Despite the heartbreaking history of the tsunami in late 2004, the natural disaster has even added to the attraction of visitors to get closer to nature and the city of Aceh.          Famous for its natural beauty and beaches, Aceh is flanked by both Indian Ocean and Malacca Straits. The sensational beauty often attracts tourists to visit the place again. There are not only beaches but also many other places that are also interesting to visit and admire.          The government continues to improve facilities and infrastructure in all tourist areas in an effort to make the guests comfortable. There are hundreds of tourism destinations in Aceh province, consisting of 426 natural tourism sites, 268 cultural tourism areas, and 114 special interest tourism places.          Among the interesting tourism destination is Sabang. Visitors can swim, snorkel, or dive in Sabang and encounter an amazing variety of sea creatures, from the colorful dory fish and the playful dolphin to the majestic whale shark. Sabang can be the icon of Aceh tourism.

ACEH EXPECTED TO EXCEED RICE PRODUCTION TARGET

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 8 (Antara) - Agriculture is the main pillar of Aceh Province's economy, which contributes over 25 percent to the regional gross domestic product, absorbing some 35 percent of the local workforce.         Targeting to become one of the national food barn regions, Aceh has set a rice production target of 2.4 million tons for this year. The Aceh provincial government is also paying serious attention to the local community's accessibility to food.         Several important factors readied to realize food accessibility include the availability of food reserves and aid to the vulnerable and transient groups.         Hence, the regional government has continued to develop the agriculture sector of Indonesia's westernmost province, which is located in the western tip of Sumatra Island. This year's rice production target has been set at 2.4 million tons, yet it is likely to be exceeded.         Head of Aceh's Plantation and Agriculture Office Hasanuddin Darjo stated that the province's unhusked rice production in 2017 is estimated to reach 2.6 million tons, or exceed the target set at 2.4 million tons. The unhusked rice was harvested from Aceh's agricultural area of some 307,410 hectares.

ACEH TO DEVELOP MICRO FINANCE INSTITUTION

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 1 (Antara) - The Banda Aceh municipal government will establish a Sharia micro finance institution to boost local economic activities, provide small businesses with access to sources of finance and prevent people from falling victims to loan sharks.         The institution will be established in the form of a limited liability company following deliberations by the local government and the Regional Legislative Assembly (DPRD) of a 'qanun'  (bylaw) on micro financing, based on the Islamic Sharia (Islamic law).         The limited liability firm that will be formed will be called PT Syariah Mahirah Muamalah micro finance company, initiated by Banda Aceh Mayor Aminullah Usman and his deputy Zainal Arifin, and will belong to the local government.        "Two laws are expected to be put in place to serve as a legal basis for the establishment of PT Syariah Mahirah Muamalah, and two draft laws have already been discussed by the legislative and the executive," Iskandar Mahmud, a member of the DPRD, said in Banda Aceh, Monday (Nov 27).          In addition to the draft law on the formation of a limited liability company, he stated, the executive also proposed the draft law on Banda Aceh City's capital investment in PT Syariah Mahirah Muamalah.         According to Mahmud, who is a politician of the Golkar Party, the draft law for the establishment of PT Syariah Mahirah Muamalah and the draft law for capital participation in the company have been discussed with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government of Aceh Province.

'SAIL SABANG' TO HAVE GREATEST IMPACT ON ACEH TOURISM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Nov 22 (Antara) - The international 'Sail Sabang' event, which will be organized in the waters of Weh Island of Sabang Municipality next weekend, will have the greatest impact on Aceh Province's tourism promotion.          According to the Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (ASITA), tourists arriving in Weh Island of Sabang City by yachts or sailboats will rise in the next few years. "The impact of Sabang Sail will surely be positive and will have the greatest benefit for the marine tourism sector of Aceh, as yachts will frequently visit Sabang," ASITA Secretary of Aceh, Totok Julianto, said by phone in Kutacane, Southeast Aceh, on Tuesday (Nov 21).        According to him, the event, which will take place from Nov 18 to Dec 5, 2017, will boost the number of sailboats and yachts heading for a vacation to the most western region in Indonesia.          Ships from international countries, such as America, Europe, and Australia, will turn the Weh Island of Sabang into one of the favorite destinations in Southeast Asia, besides Langkawi in Malaysia and Phuket in Thailand.

ACEH FARMERS' EXCHANGE RATE DECLINES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 4 (Antara) - The exchange rate of Aceh's farmers declined by 0.31 percent in September, as compared to that in the previous month of August.          Yet, the decline in the exchange rate of the farmers does not necessarily reflect a decline in their welfare. Moreover, last month, farmers' products, in the form of commodities, succeeded in boosting the province's economic growth.          The farmers' exchange rate (NTP) is not the best measurement to reflect the farmer's level of prosperity. Yet, it is a good indicator of the farmers' level of purchasing power.          Up till now, experts and observers are still debating whether the level of NTP reflects the level of farmers' welfare. Even though farmers' NTP in September dropped to 0.31 percent, yet in the second quarter of 2017, Aceh recorded an increase in economic growth thanks to the development of its agricultural sector, where about 70 percent of Aceh people are farmers.          Aceh Province recorded a higher economic growth in the second quarter as compared to the first quarter of 2017, owing to the contribution of several sectors, particularly plantation, and other agricultural commodities.

COMMODITIES HOLD POTENTIAL TO BOOST ACEH'S GROWTH

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 28 (Antara) - Aceh has some 30 percent of agricultural and plantation land area; hence, agriculture and food have become the mainstay sectors for its economic growth.         The Aceh regional government, on its website acehprov.go.id, stated that out of some five million Acehnese, 70 percent live in rural areas, of which 70 percent are farmers.         Hence, apart from other sectors, such as industry, the agricultural sector has the potential to absorb workers. Aceh has a workforce of more than two million.         In 2015, of the total workforce reaching 2,182,824, some 216,806 were unemployed.       Hence, developing the agricultural sector is one of the Aceh government's priority programs as stated in the Aceh Mid-Term Development Plan 2012-2017.         Efforts by the regional government to develop and advance the agricultural and plantation sectors have yielded positive results.         According to Yufrizal, the chief representative of Bank Indonesia for Lhokseumawe, the agricultural and plantation sectors have contributed to Aceh's economic growth.         In the second quarter of this year, some agricultural commodities and plantations became the main growth contributors.         Aceh Province recorded a higher economic growth in the second quarter as compared to the first quarter of 2017 owing to the contribution of several sectors, particularly plantation, and other agricultural commodities.

ACEH POISED TO BECOME CATTLE PRODUCTION CENTER

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 13 (Antara) - The government is intensively promoting local breeding to increase cattle production in the country and to reduce imports, which still account for about 38 percent of the total need of about 4 million live cows.          In a bid to reduce imports, the government, through the Agriculture Ministry, is developing a Mandatory Special Artificial Insemination Breeding Program (Upsus SIWAB) 2017 across the country.         Aceh Province, in the westernmost tip of Sumatra, is one of the potential regions to carry out the Upsus SIWAB program.          The Ministry of Agriculture has said that it will continue to increase cattle population in Aceh through the SIWAB program, so that the province will become one of the cattle production centers in the archipelago.          "Currently, we are developing the Upsus SIWAB program. Through the program, we can increase the number of calves in order to increase the population of cattle, both in Aceh and other regions, throughout the country," environment expert staff of the Agriculture Ministry, Mukti Sardjono, stated in Blangpidie, Southwest Aceh District (Abdya), on Monday (Sept 11) .          Sardjono came to Abdya in order to attend the vaccination of cattle against Septicaemia Epizootica (SE) disease that was prevalent in the district. At the same time, he reviewed the development of the Upsus SIWAB program there.

ACEH TO TAP TOURISM POTENTIAL THROUGH SAIL EVENT

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 30 (Antara) - Aceh Province is a special region of Indonesia located in northern end of Sumatra Island and is rich in natural resources of oil and gas.         However, a towering tsunami, triggered by a devastating earthquake that ruined its capital Banda Aceh and killed about 170 hundred people in late 2004, forced the province to rebuild from the scrap.         Now, Aceh is rebuilding its economy, including its tourism. As a province once wrecked by an earthquake known to the whole world, Aceh has the potential to offer its exclusive objects that attractive to tourists.         Hence, the regional government of Aceh is making preparations to organize an international sail event as a means of exhibiting and marketing its tourism potential to the world tourists.         The sail event which is part of the national annual event of 'Sail Indonesia', is called 'Sail Sabang' as it will focus in Sabang Island of the province.         The local government is now making preparations to organize the Sail Sabang event which will take place from November 28 to December 2017. It is expected that more than 100 yachts from different countries will take part in the international yacht rally.

ARUN KEK EXPECTED TO BENEFIT LOCAL PEOPLE OF ACEH

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 8 (Antara) - The Special Economic Zones (KEKs) in the country have relatively developed well, with a total of 11 KEKs already approved by the government and with an investment of Rp221 trillion.          Arun Lhokseumawe KEK in Aceh is also included in the 11 special economic zones. Though the Arun Lhokseumawe KEK is still new and is yet to be operational, it already has at least Rp100 billion investment. It has the prospect to open a new chapter in the economic development in the country's westernmost province.          It has the potential to drive the Aceh economic development after the depletion of the province's oil and gas reserves and decline of its agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors following the tsunami disaster in late 2004.          After all, the National Council of Special Economic Zones (KEK) will shortly decide on the operational status and final evaluation of at least six KEKs in the country.          "The National Council of KEK will hold a session in the near future and decide the worthiness of those KEKs that would be operational to serve and attract investment," Wahyu Utomo, head of the executive team of the KEK National Council, informed the media in Jakarta on Thursday (July 6).