On Monday, 9 February 2026, Yayasan SHEEP Indonesia together with the Mentawai Civil Society Forum held a meeting with the Head of South Sipora Sub district. The meeting took place at Kedai Kopi Lulak in Sipora Utara. Seven representatives from several organizations attended the discussion. The organizations included Yayasan SHEEP Indonesia, Yayasan Citra Mandiri Mentawai, Fondasi Hidup, CDRM CDS, and LP2M.

The meeting aimed to align information on programs currently being implemented in South Sipora Sub district. Each organization presented its program focus, target villages, and key achievements up to early 2026. Through this discussion, the sub district government gained a clearer overview of the assistance and development initiatives taking place across villages.

Yayasan SHEEP Indonesia presented its sustainable local food self reliance program in South Sipora Sub district. The program focuses on developing a taro processing house in Bosua Village and a banana processing house in Nemnemleleu Village. The initiative also includes education, promotion, and local food campaigns in five assisted villages. These activities encourage communities to consume local food such as taro and bananas and help reduce dependence on rice supplied from outside the Mentawai Islands.

The Head of South Sipora Sub district expressed appreciation for the Mentawai Local Food Festival held in Saureinu Village in 2025. The event helped increase community interest in local food. The sub district government also appreciated the collaboration among civil society organizations in promoting and strengthening local food initiatives in Mentawai.

The meeting resulted in a shared commitment to strengthen program coordination between the sub district government and civil society organizations. The sub district government encouraged village administrations to support these initiatives through village planning and budgeting. The participants also agreed to conduct joint monitoring activities to review program progress and strengthen collaboration in the field.