Transforming the National Food System to Achieve Food Security in Indonesia
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Transforming the National Food System to Achieve Food Security in Indonesia
By Muhammad Farhan
Food is not only about meeting basic needs but is also key to development and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Indonesia, with the richness and diversity of its food system, plays an important role in implementing a sustainable and inclusive food system. Despite this, the country is still faced with major challenges related to farmer welfare and significant malnutrition. However, efforts have been made to overcome this problem, such as reducing stunting rates in children under 5 years. Indonesia has developed a national pathway to transform the food system with follow-up in the form of fiscal transfers to local governments for local food system development and policy research that prioritizes financing strategies and the involvement of other sectors in this transformation. Transforming a food system that is nutritious, sustainable, inclusive and resilient requires appropriate investment policies that reflect Indonesia’s diversity and involve various stakeholders.
Indonesia has a strong commitment to increasing national food security through designing policies and strategies aimed at overcoming challenges in food production, maintaining supply stability, and increasing food production. The government’s main focus is on optimizing production, although the enormous potential in the agricultural sector has not been fully exploited. The challenges faced include limited infrastructure, changes in land use, lack of human resources, damage to infrastructure, interference from plant pests, and the impact of climate change. In addition, in the food supply chain attention is paid to geopolitical dynamics, inequality of supply across time and regions, as well as climate and weather uncertainty which can disrupt the smooth running of the supply chain and the stability of food prices as a whole.
The Indonesian government has formulated strategic policies to be implemented in 2024 with the main focus on increasing domestic production, strengthening research and capacity of farmers and fishermen, and establishing farmer corporations to provide better bargaining power for market access and financing. Apart from that, financial support such as subsidies and direct assistance to farmers, as well as protection of farming businesses through agricultural insurance are also important parts of this strategy. The development of the Food Estate area aims to make Indonesia a food production center with integrated infrastructure. Meanwhile, strengthening national food reserves involves increasing storage and distribution capacity. Better coordination between government and the private sector is also a priority in the national food security strategy.
Special funding allocations for food security are focused on increasing supply availability, better accessibility and food price stability. This effort aims to ensure adequate supply and facilitate public access to food availability. Steps are also being taken to stabilize food prices and provide protection for consumer purchasing power through strategic allocation of funds for these three aspects. The efforts made by the government aim to create an environment that supports overall national food security by ensuring the benefits are felt by all levels of society.
The Indonesian government prioritizes several output targets to strengthen food security with the main focus on increasing the area of agricultural land such as rice, corn, and soybeans. In the fisheries sector, environmentally friendly efforts are made through the assistance of fishing equipment and the provision of chest freezers to increase access and availability of food. The Development Program for 100 Villages with Diverse, Balanced, and Safe Nutrition (B2SA) was also implemented. In addition, rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure, training of maritime communities, construction of dams and rehabilitation of water sources are carried out to support agricultural production.
Conclusion:
Indonesia, as a country with richness and diversity, plays an important role in implementing a sustainable and inclusive food system. Indonesia has developed a national pathway to develop and transform the national food system with the aim of achieving independent food security. Sustainable, inclusive and resilient food system transformation requires appropriate investment policies and involves various stakeholders. In addition, the Indonesian government has formulated strategic policies to be implemented in 2024 with the main focus on maintaining supply stability and increasing domestic food production. These steps aim to support national food security in a comprehensive and sustainable manner by ensuring the benefits are felt by all levels of Indonesian society.
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