Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The next government of Indonesia after the upcoming July 9,
2014, presidential election is expected to ensure food security for the
entire population of the country.
Known to be the largest archipelagic country in the world with more
than 17,000 islands, Indonesia is the fourth-largest rice producing
country in the world with its staple food production in balance with its
own consumption.
Rice constitutes more than half of food crops production and consumption, and plays a major role in Indonesian livelihoods.
Therefore, the next government is expected to be consistent in
promoting rice production, together with improving farmers welfare.
When opening a national seminar on food sovereignty, organized by
the Gajah Mada University Alumni Association (Kagama) in Jakarta on
Sunday, Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubono X said the next
government will have to undertake an overall reform of the national food
policy.
"The food policy reform should start from food security and move
towards self-reliance on food, with local content as the basis to
achieve real food sovereignty," Kagama general chairman noted.
Further, Sri Sultan added that it was becoming more difficult to
realize food sovereignty because food sources have been converted into
feed, fuel, and textile fibers.
In addition, he said food, feed, fuel, and fibers were getting more
prospective investors in the financial sector, and that will weaken
food security and lead to food scarcity.
"If that happens, it will directly affect the farmers and poor
communities, and hamper their ability to meet their demand of basic
commodities," Sri Sultan said, adding that there should be efforts at
all levels of leadership.
He noted that the leaders should not work only behind the table,
but also make sure that food security and food sovereignty are achieved
in the field.
According to the dean of the agriculture faculty of the
Bandung-based Padjadjaran University (Unpad), Drajat Sudrajat, Indonesia
is endowed with abundant natural resources but the country is ranked
70th in terms of food security.
"Indonesia has the potential to improve its food security because
it has large natural resources, human resources, culture and market,"
Sudrajat said at a seminar on the role of institutes of higher learning
in supporting the national food diversification program in Bandung
recently.
He noted that Indonesia still has to work hard to catch up with
India, Vietnam and even Singapore, which currently have strong food
security.
Chief of the Food Security Board at the Agriculture Ministry
Professor Dr. Achmad Suryana shared Drajats views, saying besides
abundant natural and human resources, Indonesia also had strong economic
performance and food market.
"If all the potential of the country are managed properly,
Indonesia will be able to develop its food security so that it is at par
with other nations that have strong food security," he said.
Diversification of farm products will also enhance food security,
as the country had diverse plant and animal species, he added.
"Among the local food commodities that were developed to support
the food diversity program were sago, corn, cassava, sweet potato and
sorghum," he remarked.
Deputy Agriculture Minister Rusman Heriawan had said previously the
governors, district chiefs, and city mayors should play an important
role in national food security because they determine the pace of
achieving the food security target.
"Without the complete attention of governors, regents, mayors,
among others, the food security program will work slowly," he stated at a
food security session for the western part of Indonesia in Bandung
recently.
Food security should be viewed from a national perspective. Regions
with potential in the agricultural sector must be committed to
producing farm commodities to subsidize other regions, which do not have
strong agricultural potential.
"We will be proud if a regency or municipality that has farm production surplus subsidizes other regions," he noted.
Not only Indonesia but the rest of the world is also currently
facing food problems. In many countries, investment in the agricultural
sector is less attractive, he reported.
"FAO has warned of various conflicts if the food problems are not handled seriously," he asserted.
Food problems can be handled at a regional level by creating an institution to build food reserves, he explained.
"Both the regional offices of the state run Board of Logistics
(Bulog) and state-owned food companies will assist in the effort," he
claimed.
The food sector must also have good production and distribution systems to better address food problems, he reiterated.
Vice President Boediono had said food production in Indonesia in
general was in balance with the population growth, but it was barely
enough and remained vulnerable.
Therefore, the country is firmly committed to strengthening global
efforts to overcome poverty and food insecurity through effective,
competent, and reliable global food governance.
Consistent with its international commitments, the Indonesian
government has set four major agricultural targets for the next five
years in the national level.
The four major agricultural targets are sustaining its
self-sufficiency in the production of major food crops, diversifying
food production, increasing added value to food production, enhancing
competitiveness and boosting exports, and increasing farmers living
standards.
In general, the food security in Indonesia had strongly grown, but
the vice president said with a possible increase in population growth in
the future, food insecurity can haunt the country.(WDY)
Next Government Expected to Ensure Food Security
Selasa, 3 Juni 2014 10:00 WIB
