Govt to Pay Attention to Local Food Sources to Guard Food Sovereignty

Jakarta, InfoPublik – The Government should pay attention to the existence of the diverse local food products. Local food products could be used to keep the national food sovereignty.

Evolving societal condition creates diverse food commodities that are required by the society itself. The society does not merely rely on rice, beef, and other main commodities.

The consumption transition must be well  noticed by the government in order to provide the people’s desired food intakes. 

Noor Advianto, National Development Agency’s (Bappenas) Diretorate of Food and Agriculture researcher, said that the population structure is changing anually. It also creates consumption pattern alteration. 

Many people switch the carbohydrate intake from rice to other carbohydrate commodities such as potatoes and tubers. In fact, many people start to consumemore  vegetables and fruits instead of rice. 

“It could cause a decrease in our rice consumption since the people’s needs become more diverse,” said Noor Advianto at a discussion on Promoting Sustainable Agriculture to Fulfill the Rights of Food in Jakarta, Sunday (10/30).

By considering this development, it is proper that the government prepares the appropriate measures immediately. It is expected that the government does not develop any food commodity that would not be consumed by the people. 

“the demand on new commodites demand is increasing. If we could not meet this demand, we would not be able to achieve food sovereignty. Our large market would be dominated by other providers,” he said. 

The government currently has a medium-term policy to keep the rice, sugar, corn or soybean, and beef commodities supply. The government is attempting to create new one-million-hectare agricultural land particularly outside Java island by 2019. Furthermore, an increase in prodcutivity is expected from currently 5.3 tons per hectare (2015) to 5.5 tons per hectare (2019). 

Meanwhile, agricultural observer Khudori added that the government tends to neglect the ecoregion practises even though it is possible to vary the food products. He put out an example with the rice-corn-soybean (Pajale) programwhich is considered inappropriate for eroding local food product development. 

“The program may exist as long as it does not rule out local commodities. Nowadays, every region is forced to produce Pajale,” said Khudori. 

He added that in the future it is better that the government does not set target based on commodity but based on the need of carbohydrate, protein, and others. By setting the right target, there will be many other alternatives especially local food products developed by the people. 

“Local products would be accomodated. Source of carbohydrate is not only rice. It could be cassava or other tubers. There are many alternatives,” he concluded. (Translator: Erik Limantara)