The living room on the stilts began to fill with a small circle of 8 women. Several curious boys stood in a circle.

Two blenders, a large basin, a filter and a smaller basin lay before them. In a large basin, there are thin slices of Kepok banana (Musa x paradisiaca).

"Mama, later when I have choked this cable, mama please hold the cover," said Naomi. Naomi is a Bentara Papua facilitator who teaches how to make flour from bananas. Instantly all was silent, focusing on the blender spin.

The whirring sound of a blender starts to sound, the thin and dry pieces of banana are slowly crushed. Turns into fine white granules.

After that, the flour powder is transferred to a filter under which a small basin has been provided. Tapisan was moved by two other mothers. Fine white powder now filled the small basin. Banana flour now just needs to be stir-fried (heated in a frying pan without oil-ed) and then packaged.

That afternoon, Naomi was not alone. He was accompanied by his mother Yosefina Sreklefat. Mama Yosefina or who is better known as Mama Arki is a village resident who is skilled at making flour made from sago.

Mama Yosefina came from Kwowok village, then married Bapak Arki Kladit, a traditional leader who lived in Sira village. This background made Mama Arki wish that the skills of making flour from locally available materials could be learned by women from the same village.

"When it comes to making flour (from) sago, I have taught the ladies here several times, but this time it's just banana flour. I'm also just learning.' Mama Arki added.

***

In the villages of Kwowok, Sira and Manggroholo, banana trees have long been planted by villagers, both as garden plants and as garden plants.

From the mapping of the potential of banana plants by Bentara Papua in September 2022, it was recorded that in Kwowok, there are at least 5 types of bananas: Dewaga, Dewaga Abu-bu, Raja, Kepok, and Banana Tali (Ojo Tali). It is estimated that the number reached 2,618 trees.

So far, villagers in Kwowok have only used it as a source of daily food. If there is excess harvest, the produce is sold to the district which takes 45 minutes by four-wheeled vehicle. Kepok bananas in the Teminabuan market are sold on average for Rp. 10,000/comb. One large bunch can contain more than ten combs. Once there, you have to pay Rp. 40,000/person, adjusting to the increase in the price of fuel oil (BBM).

So far, Bentara Papua together with the management of the LPHD have only tried to develop bananas as an alternative livelihood. As of April this year, the Bentara Papua Sira station initiated it.

Previously, this practice of diversifying food sources was quite successful for women in Solol Village, Raja Ampat Regency. It is hoped that the lessons learned from Solol can help women in these three villages who have the same socio-historical roots.

As has long been known, Manggroholo and Sira are two villages that have village forest management permits. Both of them are also the first Village Forest Management Rights (HPHD) holders in West Papua and Papua.

Since obtaining permission from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in 2014, the management of the Village Forest Management Institute (LPHD) has prepared a business plan. One of them is developing existing commodities by involving women as the main subject. With Bentara Papua's facilitation, they took part in training in the manufacture and packaging of banana flour. The results are marketed through the KNA Mandiri cooperative in Kampung Sira.

The effort to use bananas is expected to make a positive contribution to natural resource management practices in environmentally friendly ways. Together

With this action, joint efforts for food security and sources of income for villagers can occur in a continuous process.

***

"To make banana flour, we don't need to spend a long time. We only need to peel the banana. After that, mix it with a little salt to reduce the sap. If the weather is sunny, just a day or two is enough to dry it in the sun," explained Yokbet Yajan. Yokbet is one of those who attended the training.

The last job is to crush the dried banana pieces into a powder, with a blender or pounded in a mortar.

"So, mama, when it's like this (powder-ed), all we have to do is heat the flour by frying it. This is so the flour can last longer,” said Naomi. Because it was getting to dusk, the participants then moved to the village office which was located opposite. Curiosity followed these mamas. What were the results like?

A little sister lit Hooks stove. White powder continues to be heated while being tossed slowly in a frying pan with medium-sized flame. About 5 minutes, the pan is then lowered.

"The flour is ready. We wait for the cold to be put into plastic packaging. On this package, it is written that the banana flour was made by the women from Kampung Kwowok," concluded Naomi.

That afternoon, a simple training involving 8 women from Kwowok village ended. Accompanied by fried bananas wrapped in freshly made flour and a pot full of coffee.

From this training, at least when Christmas arrives, the women no longer need to pay a lot of money to buy flour. They only need to prepare Kepok bananas.