Local food diversity should be able to support national food independence. This requires a change in food policy which has so far been biased towards rice and wheat.
Please note that this article was automatically translated using Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. We cannot ensure that the entire content is translated accurately. If you spot any errors or inconsistencies, contact us atAHMAD ARIF, FRANCIS PATI HERIN, SAIFUL RIJAL YUNUS, YOLA SASTRAThe following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI.
The State Logistics Agency should also be able to manage the availability of local food, not just rice. According to Rusli, the dependency on staple foods such as rice and wheat for countries with a large population like Indonesia is very risky."The current rice price crisis could possibly recur in the future. This will continue to happen, especially with climate and geopolitical changes," he said.
However, it is acknowledged that a shift in food patterns in Indonesia continues to occur. Data from 2009 shows that food consumption patterns in the eastern regions of Indonesia are still diverse. Aside from rice, corn, cassava, sweet potato, and sago are still dominant. However, by 2020, rice and wheat consumption increasingly dominate in eastern Indonesia.
"Regarding health, the quality of local food is definitely better. For example, local food does not contain gluten like wheat flour. Imported grapes that we buy today may have been harvested since last year and preserved, compared to fresh local fruit," he said.Regulation-wise, Law Number 18 of 2012 concerning Food also mandates that the government and regional governments are required to diversify food."Food diversification must be based on local potential.