Local People to Remain Expecting for the Bless of Oil

On April 29, 2014, I was very excited to be part of interesting field trip to Bojonegoro. The field trip was a part of Asia-Pasific Hub Training “Improving the Governance of Extractive Industries” which is organized by Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM)-Revenue Watch Institute (RWI). It was very interesting not only because of the training itself but also the filed trip took place on my hometown. Fortunately, I got opportunity to visit my hometown as part of training agenda. It meant, only at that time, I have to act and think more as so-called observer instead as local. Hopefully, I would able to get an alternative perspective to perceive the existing oil and gas industry impacts in my hometown.

In the beginning, we visited government office to have discussion with govenment official and private sector which is represented by Mobil Cepu Ltd (International Oil Company) and PT.Bangkit Bangun Sarana (Local Government Enterprise). We discussed on how government and private sector take role in dealing with extractive industries management as well as problems. I found it quite inspiring when I heard they have done many efforts to ensure the revenue of oil and gas will give benefit more to the people. Social economy impacts of extractive industry have also been taken into their consideration. People have expectation, company have to do business as usual, and government need to make sure that company business shall not displaced people rights and interest. For that reason, Bojonegoro government issued regulation namely local content policy No.23/2011 for enabling local potential and people to involve in extractive industries. They also work hand in hand with Civil Society Organization (CSO) to conduct transparency initiative in order to make sure that extractive industries management running well. To meet the needs of people of getting open access of information related extractive industries, the government open public dialogue every Friday. Even, the head of regency (Bupati) inform and open publicly his phone number and email as well to public in order they can communicate directly to him. Through that way, people can speak up all of problems related to development. I am very glad that my government have been well-informed and having good initiative to manage oil and gas reserves.

Participants and local people are discussing topics on how Gayam Village dealing with extractive industry impact. (Photo: Defirentia One)

Late at the afternoon, we visited Gayam Village. It is one of so-called oil-rich site in Bojonegoro. Looking around that site, I wondered why Gayam Village could be really different compare to the one I ever visited several years ago. I could hardly saw a wide green rice fields which I always saw before. Instead, I saw some refineries on the site which are protected with multi layer gates and overseen by many securities. I figure out many things in the village have changed. As the government explained in the previous session, about 600 hectares land in the villages were released for oil sites. I can hardly imagine, how could the farmers afford their livelihood while no land to use? Or perhaps, the question is, how the farmers spend the money they got from land acquisition? Neither government nor CSO have detail data related to this problems.

The Situation

In the meantime, we had a discussion with the chief of Gayam Village, Pak Winto, and his society. I hoped my curiosity on how farmer spend the money could be answered. From the discussion, I noticed that people facing problem regarding the presence of oil industry. After massive conversion of land use, local livelihood are getting worse. Farmers could not afford for sustainable earning. Even, those whose land was sold to company, spent the money for unnecessary things. They built new houses, bought cars, motor bikes, and went shopping. The massive inflows of money in society causes the massive consumerism. Some of them did not know how to spent the money despite some other have invest the money for more sustainable things. For instance, as good practice, they invest to create small scale business to displace the traditional economy of farming.

For another reason, I assumed that people in the village remained rely their livelihood on the use of land. Land is the main means of production for farmer. Farmer’s income are getting lower and worse. Many farmers lost their land and job. Meanwhile, they wish the industry to bring better impact on their life. Local people struggle over their rights and wealth. They speak up to the government as well as company to employ them in oil company. No wonder. Because local people are watching day to day activities of oil company and they realised the daily impacts on their life. They figure out many new comers entering their village. Local people assumed that new comers could have better income and wealth. Because in their mindset, being part of oil and gas industry will bring a blessing in their livelihood. It is a very common view of local people in Gayam Village.

In the middle of discussion, I tried to deliver question to community. “If you noticed that the farmer life are getting worse due to the massive conversion of that land, do you still want to be farmer?” A woman wearing green hijab answered, “No, we do not. We want to be employed by the company.” The similar answer delivered by two young ladies who studied in local university. “We do not want to be a farmer. We wish to work at oil company,” they said. From their eyes, I could see a big expectation. No doubt, these young ladies were very confident to speak up their future dream.

Why the local people put really high attention as well as big expectation to the oil and gas industry in their area? As previously came to my mind, the presence of oil and gas industry in my hometown, Bojonegoro, indeed should come along with a huge expectation for the wealth of people. For long decades, many people there have been living under endemic poverty. Even, it was documented by CLM Penders (University of Queensland Australia) in his book, “Bojonegoro 1900-1942 : A story of Endemic Poverty in North East Java Indonesia.” There is no surprise if people relies their expectation on the blessing of oil and gas. According to people mindset, the revenue from oil and gas shall raise economic growth, increase job and revenue, as well as improve life quality due to the development. Thus, government must take role to manage revenue from oil and gas effectively and ensure that development will contribute reducing the poverty.

For me, upcoming question is how effective the revenue from oil and gas sector to support the development of other economic sector? In this case, the government of Bojonegoro would face challenges to increased economic growth from oil exploration meanwhile they have to ensure non-oil sector remain competitive for the development as well. I find it also important to ensure the development of agricultural sector for villagers since some of them still rely on agriculture.

The Need for Information

Why people remain over expecting? Currently, the most strategic issues in Bojonegoro is oil and gas. Because it involves the role of government on one side, and people who become direct beneficiaries as well as bad impact of the oil and gas industry on the other side. People here are stakeholders so that they must have room for delivering aspiration and doing advocacy for their interests. In the context of bojonegoro, channel for communication apparently appears in various forms of public space and media.

In order to make people well-informed about what happening and how development running on oil and gas. Many forms of media are also initiated by civil society, such as tabloid (BlokBojonegoro, Halo Bojonegoro, Suara Banyuurip, etc), public dialogue, book, even daily discussion in Koffie warung (small family-owned coffee shop). Why do coffee shops even turn into a public space for talking about oil and gas? Why were the people elevating day to day discussion about it?

There was a massive discourse regarding oil and gas in local media. They even created more positive news about prosperity which is promised by oil and gas. It made people imagining that their village could be oil-rich sites seems likes Qatar, Brunei, Texas, and Arab. Construction of the initial thoughts were formed, that is the one which reported by media and come into people discussion by people every day.

Then, the influence of local media coverage is the construction of oil-wealth discourse. However, there is still a gap between the discourse (information) which is created by media and the reality. What society perceived on day to day reality is quite far from their expectations. It could be happend, if there is gap between reality and sources of information.

For that reason, disclosure of information in public space become dillemma. On the one hand, people are able to get a better understanding on the existing issues, but in other hand the massive information could rise to the demands of people. Society needs to criticize and catch existing opportunities to prepare them selves for facing the extractive industry as well as increase their ability to encounter the bad impact of extractive industry on their environment and social life. Here, participation is required in the context of governance and information disclosure to the public. It is needed to accommodate people participation by creating a better public sphere for communication. (*)

Author information:

Defirentia One Muharomah was born in Bojonegoro. She lives in small village in the western part of Bojonegoro. Her life experience inhabiting the oil-rich area has raised her concern on oil and gas industry.

Rethinking Creative Industry in the Presence of Oil and Gas Industry in Bojonegoro: Is There Any Other Hope?

Introduction

There has been growing debates on the impact of oil industrialization on local economy development. Discussion also appears in many text book on political economy of oil, although most of the discussion are likely to deal on how oil could produce money for the people and state. But, there are much less attention on how to manage risk and deal with social economic impact of extractive industries. General theme which come to people mind is about money as a symbol of prosperity.  This paper aims to offer alternative perspective in viewing the presence of oil industry. The case study is Bojonegoro, an oil-rich region in East Java Indonesia.

The discovery of oil and gas reserves in Bojonegoro is predicted to make ​​a lot of development. Meanwhile, the problems of poverty are persistent. According to report released by Reuters, Bojonegoro as the owner of the largest crude reserves in Southeast Asia, stated at 350 million barrels is addressing the problem of poverty in line with the demand of prosperity.[1]  Due to the ownership of abundant oil reserves, Bojonegoro is placed on the fourth of the poorest districts in East Java Province.[2] As people always bring into debate that oil and gas will be a blessing to the prosperity, inspite of what people perceive on the benefit, it is important to bring understanding into the prosperity within its origin. There are two reason why it is matter.

First, oil and local economy development are supposed to have mutual interconnection, meanwhile in the other case the impact shows different situation. It is wished to make society prosper and so does the region, however many challenges do exist ahead. The government of Bojonegoro has also established a law of local content, but it is not strong enough in the realm of implementation up to its goal to advocate and ensure the involvement of local resources. Even, it comes to questions. Similarly, local government efforts to deal with a judicial review on Law No. 33/2004 to the Constitutional Court. However, oil industy to bring hope for stakeholders in Bojonegoro. Along with huge expectation from people who are expected be employed by oil industry, the NGOs ask for partnership with large companies utilizing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).  Meanwhile, local contractors seeking legitimacy gap with local content regulations to local governments, insist on asking the growing budget coverage through increased revenue-sharing. This is supported by the news media that puts oil as ‘mainstream’ which is direct the public discourse for at least understand what is going on in the oil and gas industry in Bojonegoro.

This paper does not aim to criticize the reality above. However, it cannot be denied, take the example of local government, they are doing well in dealing with the interests of people so that people be able to enjoy the blessing of oil and gas. Perhaps, mainstreaming on oil presents as the only issue in the field, so that the local government efforts to accommodate people interest. As the result, people give trust on their administration. However, as people have high expectation on oil and gas industry, whether it can be associated, they will upset that the dream turned to dust.

Second, it comes to awareness that actually oil and gas are not renewable resources. However, common view of the people on it are denied when they interpret natural resources as bless and utilize the abundance of natural resources, at least to obtain multiplier impact of it. For instance, we find huge growing of services business, restaurant, and property. It deals with a big matter when huge growing of business along with the raise of people income be spent into huge consumption. They suppose be able rely their economy  on the bless of oil, but the reality will tell them differently as oil and gas projects come to an end. However, we need to allow extractive industry on oil and gas continues to run well. In the mean time, we need to reduce over expectation on oil and gas sector. A more sustainable economy is also needed.

Bringing Creative Industries in Development Issues

Up to present, creative economy businesses comes into a happening topic in Indonesia economic development. As the turn of the nomenclature of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism into the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, creative economic enterprises implies a new hope in the equitable distribution of the national economy. Moreover, the creative economy is a means for developing a significant and sustainable economy by utilizing the potential of the sector and outside the conventional potential, for example, oil and gas as well as agriculture. The potential is certainly obtained from the innovation and creativity that arise from the exploitation of human resources so that they can contribute to the social and economic communities. Originally, the development of the creative economy can be run within the framework of creativity in 14 sub-sectors, among others: advertising, architecture, art market, crafts, design, fashion, film & video photography, interactive games, music, performing arts, publishing and printing, computer services & software, television and radio, activity-based research & development (Pangestu, 2008: xii).

Originally, creative economy in Bojonegoro has emerged, even before the oil warms dynamics. Creative potential grows as a source of cultural and economic communities. Sukorejo, Kasiman Village and Margomulyo Village are administrated as center of wooden handicrafts, Gondang as Onyx stones area and Malo as center of gerabah[3]. Presumably, it is already established businesses. Networking and marketing has been pretty extensive. Now, people seem developing creative potential, however it is based on sub crafts. The government of Bojonegoro urge their people for designing, conducting business Batik Jonegoroan[4].

Community initiatives to develop creative industry also appear on designs and T-shirt business that includes messages of local wisdom. In the form of institutions, creative businesses are actualized in the form of tourism village, for example, a tourism village of Jono, Tanjungharjo and Ringinrejo. In addition, stretching local arts community-both contemporary and tradition- are also easy to find around. We can find many public space for various communities. In other hand, growing arts community, activists of information technology, photography and modeling are also starting to show its existence.

It can be recognized, creative industries in Bojonegoro lead to the competition of creative business with the more well-established creative cities in Indonesia i.e Yogyakarta, Bandung and Solo. As people creativity has emerged, there is also well established social capital. However, we find a problem. Economic development blueprint for the creative industries has not been available yet. Potential promoted in its place are considered untouchable by capital flow and investment. While the Bojonegoro expo in the plaza entertainment, are impressed more prominent than empowering local potential.

In purpose to deal with these problems, it cannot be denied that creative industries are closely assosiated with the development of other sectors i.e construction of tourism. The existence of a tourism areas appear great tourist destination and attract many visitors. It is strategic in promoting creative business, despite it must be admitted that up to present, we can hardly find a priority sector of development in Bojonegoro. Field of tourism is allowed to proceed without a new twist though a great famous tourist destination is pride for local residents. Especially when it is able to provide multiplier impact for surrounding residents, particularly those engaged in the creative economy. Tourism village that is currently emerging be a possibility to find their own way to promote the village as a potential synergy with no major tourist potential.

Another Hope on Creative Industries

The creative potential of the people could be well-managed. Moreover, we need to demontrate great enthusiasm, which is looking for a more sustainable alternative business instead of oil and gas industry. Creative ideas are actually already available around the people,it is just needed more seriousness in developing the ideas. In addition, massive promotion and connection to the sources of stable funding are considered important. The creative potential of the people can also be connected and advocated in the discussion of local regulation on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). We hope, CSR in its various forms, delivered by oil companies operating in Bojonegoro, able to develop as well as support the empowerment of creative industries.

The only question come to my mind, has government of Bojonegoro considered the importance of creative industries as one of mainstream of economic development? Above expectations would not be a real tangible when the creative potential still sidelined or simply no facilitation after it disappeared without trace. Just wait for the creative community reach its own momentum. Nevertheless, oil industry will remain the main foundation of economic growth in Bojonegoro. (*)

*) The original article was written in Bahasa Indonesia and had its first appearance  on local printed news paper blokBojonegoro, entitled “Industri Kreatif di Tengah Industrialisasi Migas”, May 2013, co-writer: Danang Wahyuhono  

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[1] See Davies Ed, ‘Indonesia’s Texas? Rural Java Braces for Oil Boom’,

http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/08/10/us-indonesia-oil-idUS-TRE57903420090810, 9 August 2009.

[2] Ibid.

[3] A craft made from clay

[4] This word is derived from Bojonegoro. Jonegoroan means originate from Bojonegoro.

Industri Kreatif di Tengah Industrialisasi Migas

Industrialisasi Migas dan Bojonegoro kini bagaikan dua sisi mata uang. Tak bisa dilepaskan, meski kadang kontradiktif. Inginya membuat daerah maju dan masyarakat sejahtera, namun masih menelusuri jalan terjal. Perda konten lokal belum terlalu kuat di ranah implementasi hingga tujuannya untuk mengadvokasi dan menjamin keterlibatan sumber daya lokal mulai dipertanyakan. Demikian pula upaya pemerintah daerah mengajukan uji materiil UU 33 tahun 2004 ke Mahkamah Konstitusi (MK), prosesnya menuai jalan buntu. Meski demikian, migas terlanjur membawa harapan tak kecil bagi pemangku kepentingan di Bojonegoro. Mulai masyarakat yang ingin bekerja di migas, NGO berharap menjadi mitra perusahaan besar dengan memanfaatkan CSR, kontraktor-kontraktor lokal berupaya mencari celah dengan legitimasi perda konten lokal hingga pemerintah daerah yang beraharap semakin besarnya pundi-pundi APBD melalui peningkatan dana bagi hasil. Hal tersebut didukung pemberitaan media yang menempatkan migas sebagai arus utama (mainstream) hingga mampu mengarahkan wacana masyarakat untuk minimal mengerti apa yang sedang terjadi di Bojonegoro dengan industri migasnya. 

Tulisan ini tidak bermaksud secara khusus mengkritisi realitas di atas. Karena tak bisa dipungkiri, sejauh pandangan awam, mengambil contoh pemerintah daerah, nampak berbaik hati untuk mengadvokasi kepentingan warganya agar mampu menikmati berkah migas. Mungkin hanya persoalan di lapangan, agar kebaikan pemerintah daerah tidak terkesan setengah-setengah dan masyarakat tidak kehilangan kepercayaan pada institusi tersebut. Begitu halnya masyarakat, tak bisa pula dipersalahkan mempunyai harapan besar pada industri migas. Jika mampu terlibat di dalamnya, impian cepat merengkuh materi diharap menjadi kenyataan.

Namun sebetulnya banyak orang paham jika migas bukanlah sumber daya alam abadi alias unrenewable. Cara pandang itu yang musti ditekankan (kembali). Memang semenjak kita duduk di bangku SD, pelajaran IPA sudah berkata demikian, namun kesedaran kolektif akan hal tersebut hilang manakala kita sebagai orang Bojonegoro pragmatis memaknai dan memanfaatkan berlimpahnya sumber daya alam. Sumber-sumber ekonomi utama maupun ikutan dari migas memang sedang menggeliat untuk saat ini. Ambil contohnya orang atau kelompok orang berlomba mendirikan CV, atau usaha rumah makan, perhotelan dan properti. Namun tak ada jaminan sumber-sumber ekonomi tersebut berjalan langgeng. Kekhawatiran yang muncul yaitu sebagian orang akan bingung manakala proyek migas sampai suatu titik akhir, lantas usaha-usaha tersebut tak laku lagi. Kekhawatiran yang boleh dikata masih terlalu dini. Kas sumur migas masih terlampau banyak yang baru akan disentuh. Namun mengawal atau membiarkan industrialisasi migas tetap berjalan diiringi pengurangan dependensia pada sektor tersebut nampak menjadi upaya lebih arif dan berkelanjutan.

Industri Kreatif dan Persoalan Sinergitas Pembangunan

Saat ini usaha ekonomi kreatif menjadi diskusi hangat. Di tingkat pusat, pergantian nomenklatur dari Kementrian Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata menjadi Kementrian Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif menyiratkan usaha ekonomi kreatif menjadi harapan baru dalam pemerataan perekonomian nasional. Bagi daerah, ekonomi kreatif merupakan sarana mengembangkan ekonomi secara signifikan dan berkelanjutan dengan memanfaatkan sektor dan potensi diluar potensi konvensional, misalnya migas dan pertanian. Potensi tersebut tentunya didapatkan dari inovasi dan eksploitasi kreativitas yang muncul dari sumber daya manusia sehingga nantinya dapat berkontribusi untuk sosial dan ekonomi masyarakat. Pada dasarnya pengembangan ekonomi kreatif dapat dijalankan dalam kerangka kreativitas di 14 subsektor, antara lain: periklanan, arsitektur, pasar barang seni, kerajinan, desain, fesyen, video film & fotografi, permainan interaktif, musik, seni pertunjukan, penerbitan & percetakan, layanan komputer & piranti lunak, televisi dan radio, kegiatan berbasis riset & pengembangan (Pangestu, 2008:xii).  

Di Bojonegoro usaha ekonomi kreatif telah mendapat ruang, bahkan sebelum dinamika migas menghangat. Potensi kreatif tumbuh, menjadi budaya dan sumber ekonomi masyarakat misalnya ada di Sukorejo (Kota), Kasiman dan Margomulyo dengan kerajinan kayu, Gondang dengan batu Onyx serta Malo dengan gerabahnya. Kiranya usaha itu yang sudah mapan. Jejaring dan pemasaran sudah lumayan luas. Namun masih ada yang lamat-lamat terdengar, misalnya kerajinan pelepah pisang di Boureno. Kini potensi kreatif nampak berkembang. Masih bertumpu pada subsektor kerajinan, pemerintah daerah mencoba memobilisasi masyarakat untuk merancang desain, menjalankan usaha hingga memakai batik Jonegoroan. Inisiasi komunitas masyarakat sendiri juga muncul dengan usaha desain dan kaos yang memuat kearifan lokal. Dalam wujud institusi, usaha-usaha kreatif mulai diaktualisasikan dalam desa wisata, misalnya Desa wisata Jono, Tanjungharjo dan Ringinrejo. Selain itu, geliat komunitas seni lokal–baik kontemporer maupun tradisi–tidak sepenuhnya redup. Pendopo Dinas Budpar, alun-alun dan halaman eks-RKPD mulai menjadi ruang publik bagi bermacam komunitas. Tak hanya komunitas seni pertunjukan, pegiat teknologi informasi, fotografi dan modeling juga mulai menunjukkan eksistensinya.              

Potensi kreativitas masyarakat Bojonegoro sebenarnya tak kalah dengan daerah lain dan ada potensi untuk bersaing dengan daerah mapan kreativitas, misalnya Jogja, Bandung atau Solo. Semangat komunitas sudah muncul, berarti ada pula simpanan modal sosial yang cukup besar. Tinggal bagaimana dipantik, difasilitasi higga mampu berkelanjutan untuk mengakumulasi modal finansial. Namun di sinilah persoalannya. Cetak biru pembangunan ekonomi hingga menjadi industri kreatif nampak belum tersedia. Fasilitasi pemerintah daerah sekedar eventual pun tidak berkelanjutan. Festival yang dulunya besar semisal Bojonegoro Wood Fair (BWF) kini kehilangan gema atau memang sudah tidak diselenggarakan. Padahal festival tersebut sesuai dengan karakter pariwisata yang sifatnya In-situ. Potensi dipromosikan di tempatnya berasal sekaligus membuka akses wilayah yang jauh dari ibukota kabupaten. Sedangakan Bojonegoro expo di alun-alun kesan hiburan lebih menonjol dari pada mengangkat dan memberdayakan potensi lokal. Demikian halnya dengan potensi yang muncul belakangan ini, batik Jonegoroan. Meski pengrajin mulai banyak namun daya beli masyarakat bisa dikata belum maksimal. Bisa pula disebabkan batik tersebut belum terlalu mengakar dalam kehidupan masyarakat dan menjadi kebanggan bersama. Semantara ini Batik Jonegoroan masih terlalu dilembagakan lantas pihak-pihak tertentu saja yang memakai, misalnya anak sekolahan dan pegawai negeri.     

Selain menghadapi persoalan tersebut, industri kreatif tak dipungkiri terkait erat dengan pembangunan di sektor-sektor lain. Paling erat dan berhubungan langsung adalah pembangunan  pariwisata. Adanya destinasi wisata, apalagi destinasi wisata yang bagus dan menarik banyak pengunjung, sekaligus sebagai sarana mempromosikan dan menjual kreativitas masyarakat. Namun harus diakui, hingga kini sektor tersebut belum menjadi prioritas dalam pembangunan di Bojonegoro. Bidang pariwisata dibiarkan berjalan apa adanya tanpa ada sentuhan baru. Padahal destinasi wisata yang bagus dan terkenal adalah kebanggan bagi warga daerah. Terlebih ketika mampu memberi dampak ekonomi bagi warga sekitarnya, terutama yang bergerak dalam usaha ekonomi kreatif. Desa wisata yang saat ini muncul, tak menutup kemungkinan akan mencari jalan sendiri untuk mempromosikan potensi desanya ketika sinergi dengan potensi wisata utama belum ada. Tidak berhenti di situ, persoalan sinergitas akan tetap muncul manakala persoalan akses terutama infrastruktur jalan masih menjadi persoalan. Semoga dengan perbaikan jalan provinsi maupun peningkatan pavingisasi semakin mendekatkan dan memudahkan masyarakat daerah maupun luar daerah dengan potensi-potensi kreatif di Bojonegoro.        

Berharap pada Industri Kreatif

Potensi kreatif masyarakat tak mungkin dibiarkan begitu saja. Apalagi mengusung semangat besar, yaitu mencari alternatif untuk tidak semata berharap pada industrialisasi migas. Alternatif yang sejatinya telah tersedia di depan mata dan bahkan telah dijalankan, hanya saja lebih membutuhkan keseriusan dalam mengembangkannya. Ruang-ruang kreativitas representatif diharapkan semakin muncul dimana-mana, baik yang diupayakan komunitas sendiri maupun ada campur tangan pemerintah daerah untuk mengusahakan ruang-ruang tersebut.  Lantas fasilitasi pemerintah daerah berlanjut dengan mengintegrasikan dalam suguhan eventual secara rutin setiap tahunnya. Semisal mengambil momentum hari jadi kabupaten sebagai puncak ruang kreativitas bagi masyarakat. Mulai dari seni pertunjukan, potensi kerajinan, kuliner, hingga kreativitas masyarakat berbasis teknologi modern. Promosi event secara massif menjadi syarat utama. Kini mempromosikan Bojonegoro sebetulnya tak sulit. Tak bisa dielakkan, migas secara perlahan menjadikan daerah ini dikenal. Tentu kita tetap harus memanfaatkan momentum itu sembari menunjukkan bahwa Bojonegoro dikenal tak hanya lewat migas yang masih berselimut kontradiksi, namun juga potensi kreativitas masyarakatnya yang tersebar di berbagai wilayah dan lebih menjanjikan pemerataan ekonomi.         

Selain itu, menyambungkan pada sumber-sumber pembiayaan tetap kita anggap penting. Dengan catatan tak berlangsung terus menerus dan tahu kapan untuk berhenti ketika industri kreatif dirasa mampu mandiri. Semisal PNPM mandiri pariwisata yang masih relevan dijadikan kail pemantik usaha kreatif di desa wisata. Dan kini yang paling hangat di Bojonegoro, tak salah dan bisa kita anggap penting ketika potensi kreatif masyarakat disambungkan dan diadvokasikan dalam pembahasan rancangan peraturan daerah (raperda) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) atau tanggung jawab sosial perusahaan. Harapannya, CSR dalam berbagai bentuknya dari perusahaan-perusahaan besar yang beroperasi di Bojonegoro mampu diarahkan untuk menumbuhkankembangkan  industri kreatif.

Namun dari kesemua itu, kembali berpulang pada mindset pemangku kepentingan di Bojonegoro. Sudahkah menganggap industri kreatif penting dan menjadikannya sebagai salah satu arus utama pembangunan ekonomi daerah? Harapan-harapan di atas kiranya belum bisa berwujud nyata ketika potensi kreatif masih dikesampingkan atau sekedar ada fasilitasi setelah itu hilang tak berbekas. Lantas hanya menunggu komunitas kreatif menemukan momentum dan semangantnya sendiri. Dan migas tetap menjadi tumpuan utama sekaligus melanggengkan pemujaan pada pertumbuhan ekonomi dari pada kemakmuran ekonomi daerah yang lebih merata. 

*) Tulisan ini dimuat di Tabloid Blok Bojonegoro Edisi Mei 2013

Penulis:

Danang Wahyuhono (Peneliti di Artca Indonesia-Konsultan Pariwisata dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat) asal Ngasem Bojonegoro

Defirentia One Muharomah (Manajer Humas dan Media-Rifka Annisa Yogyakarta)