Monday, 13 November 2023 - The economy of North Sulawesi in 2022 shows an interesting picture, especially in the context of the agricultural business sector. With an agricultural business field share of 20.90%, this sector is one of the main pillars in the regional economic contribution. The fisheries and plantation business sub-fields are the main contributors, showing great potential in this sector.
The interesting story lies in the resilience of the agricultural sector during difficult times, such as the pandemic and periods of economic recovery. Despite global challenges, North Sulawesi's agricultural sector continues to grow and makes a vital contribution to regional economic prosperity.
However, there are aspects that need attention, especially regarding economic inequality within the agricultural sector. Even though only 22.03% of the population works in this sector, more than 30% of poor households rely on agricultural businesses as their main source of income. This shows that there is an imbalance in the distribution of profits from the agricultural sector.
The 2023 Agricultural Census is an important marker in understanding the agricultural conditions of North Sulawesi. With data that has been processed in September 2023, the results show an average decrease of 35.53% for Agricultural Business Households (RTUP) in each subsector. However, overall, the number of RTUPs increased by 3.38% compared to 2013.
Clean data from the 2023 Agricultural Census adds confidence to the quality of the information produced. This provides a strong basis for further analysis and appropriate policy making to support the growth of the agricultural sector, overcome inequality, and optimally utilize regional economic potential.
However, challenges still exist, and there needs to be a joint effort from the government, business actors and society to identify the factors causing the decline in several subsectors and formulate appropriate strategies to deal with these changes. In this way, North Sulawesi can optimize the potential of its agricultural sector as the main driver of the regional economy.
