The Ba'tan Indigenous Community Waste Management Workshop Receives Support from Various Parties

ATMAGO.com – Bumi Sawerigading Foundation (YBS) Palopo held a Multi-stakeholder Workshop on waste management at the Battang Village Office, West Wara, Palopo City on Saturday, February 22, 2025. This activity involved the Ba'tan Traditional community and was officially opened by the Expert Staff of the Mayor of Palopo for People's Welfare, M. Taufiqurrahman. In his remarks, he encouraged residents of Battang, West Battang, and Padang Lambe to be more serious in managing waste, considering that the area is an important part of the face of Palopo City and is a trans route between regions.

During the discussion, various parties expressed support for this initiative. Muhammad Fajrin from the Waste and Hazardous Waste Management Division of the Environmental Agency (DLH) presented an example of good practices from Banyumas that successfully managed waste to generate income. He encouraged public awareness, starting with household waste sorting. Plastic and paper waste can be sold to YBS, while organic waste can be processed into fertilizer or compost.

The event was also attended by representatives from several institutions, including the sub-district head, the village heads of Battang and West Battang, the Community Empowerment and Development Institute (LPMK), youth leaders, representatives from the Provincial Government of North Sumatra (UMP), the Regional Development Planning Agency (UMB), and the Regional Development Planning Agency (FBM), the Regional Development Planning Agency (BPBD), the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), and the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Ekraf). Nasbudi, the traditional leader of Ba'tan and the head of the Battang LPMK, expressed his commitment to facilitating a waste management facility, but emphasized that what is needed now is serious community involvement.