APINDO Supports Women’s Empowerment Program in North Maluku to Strengthen Food Security and Economic Independence
Monday, 26 October 2026
TERNATE, October 26, 2026 — Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO) Chairwoman Shinta W. Kamdani and several members of the association’s leadership joined Deputy Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Veronica Tan and North Maluku Governor Sherly Tjoanda during a visit to a women-led farming site in Ternate on Monday (October 26, 2026).
The APINDO delegation accompanying the visit included Deputy Chairpersons Eddy Hussy and Sanny Iskandar, Organization Affairs Chair Anthony Hilman, Fisheries and Livestock Affairs Chair Hendra Sugandhi, and APINDO Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) representative Elim Saritaba.
The collaborative initiative involving the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (KPPPA), the Ministry of Forestry, and the North Maluku Provincial Government aims to empower women through the development of 1,400 hectares of social forestry land to support food security and economic independence. This includes approximately 190 hectares in Rua Subdistrict, Ternate City.
Veronica emphasized that granting women access to land must deliver tangible benefits for families and the wider community while preserving the environment and making the most of local knowledge and locally sourced seeds.
“When land is made available to women, we will see the results while ensuring environmental protection and applying local wisdom and local seeds to support household food security and women’s economic well-being,” she said.
North Maluku Governor Sherly Tjoanda stressed that the program’s success would require more than simply providing access to land. It must also be supported by technical assistance and production facilities tailored to farmers’ needs.
“All the shortcomings and needs identified in this program will be addressed through joint support from both the central and regional governments,” she said.
As a follow-up, the government will conduct technical surveys to map the needs of farming groups, including planting patterns, flood mitigation, water access, and transportation. Authorities will also explore the use of drip irrigation to improve water-use efficiency.
A bottom-up approach will be central to ensuring that assistance is appropriately targeted and addresses challenges on the ground.
Through stronger cooperation between central and regional governments, the initiative is expected to go beyond providing access to land and develop into a productive agricultural ecosystem that strengthens household food security, improves farmers’ livelihoods, and creates opportunities for women’s economic independence in North Maluku.
