18/06/2012 (Jakarta Post) - Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar aims to allocate Rp 20.3 trillion (US$2.17 billion) in investment to the develop agriculture sector in 16 transmigration areas over the next two years.

“In those regions, we will establish [industries which produce] leading commodities, such as palm oil, rubber, sugar cane, seaweed, and many more. Therefore, we can create partnerships between those business units and transmigrants,” stated the minister as quoted by antaranews.com on Sunday.

The ministry will sign cooperation with several Indonesian universities to support technical and administration preparations for the transmigration regions.

Under the Medium-Term Development I period in 2005 to 2009, the government had set up 44 transmigration areas, 16 of which will be developed as economic development clusters over the 2010 – 2014 period.

The ministry’s directorate general of Transmigration Area Development Jamaluddien Malik hoped that the economy clusters could efficiently produce goods and services that are comply with market demands.

“Every area has to be prepared to face regional, national and global challenges. There should be improvement in skill, utilization, creation, knowledge and technology,” Malik said. (yps/iwa)