PARIAMAN – The Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions (Mendes PDT), Yandri Susanto, handed over two million coconut seedlings and two million areca nut (pinang) seedlings to the community of Kampung Sirambang, North Pariaman District, Pariaman City, West Sumatra, Saturday (April 4, 2026).

According to Minister Yandri, planting coconut and areca nut seedlings is vital as it represents a highly promising long-term investment in terms of economy, ecology, and food security.

"These two products are excellent; you plant them once, and they last almost forever. Two coconut trees can bear fruit for hundreds of years. They can benefit our children and grandchildren while contributing to the preservation of our environment," explained the former Vice Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR RI) during his address at the event.

Furthermore, the Minister—who hails from South Bengkulu—explained that he never tires of conducting working visits to West Sumatra. He noted that the Minang highlands are the birthplace of many influential thinkers and founding fathers of the Republic of Indonesia, such as the prominent figure Muhammad Hatta.

He frequently cited Hatta’s core ideas, which strongly favored village development and a community-based economy. Hatta’s vision for villages was rooted in the principles of economic progress and social equality between rural and urban areas, ensuring the establishment of fundamental democratic principles at the village level.

"The Republic of Indonesia exists thanks to great figures from West Sumatra. One of them is Bung Hatta, who had an extraordinary tagline for villages: 'Indonesia will not be lit by the torch of Monas in Jakarta, but Indonesia will be lit by the candles burning in every village,'" he concluded.

In attendance at the event were the Governor of West Sumatra, Mahyeldi Ansharullah; Member of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) for the West Sumatra II constituency, Arisal Aziz; Mayor of Pariaman, Yota Balad; and Vice Mayor of Padang Panjang, Allex Saputra. Minister Yandri was accompanied by the Head of BPSDM, Agustomi Masik, and the Head of BPI, Mulyadin Malik.

Photo: Didi/Kemendes PDT 
Text: Dayat/Kemendes PDT