Jakarta – The government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening national food security through cross-sectoral collaboration. This initiative involves the central government, regional governments, universities, research institutions, and regionally-owned enterprises (BUMDes) to support the food self-sufficiency target, a priority of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration.
Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan stated that the food self-sufficiency program is not only oriented towards meeting national food needs but also aimed at improving the welfare of rural communities who depend on the agriculture, fisheries, and livestock sectors for their livelihoods.
“Food security is not just about ensuring the availability of basic necessities, but also efforts to improve the standard of living of rural communities working in the food sector,” said Zulkifli Hasan.
According to Hasan, President Prabowo has long paid serious attention to the development of the national food sector. He believes the biggest challenge today is not only production, but also the high cost of distribution, which impacts food prices.
“Rice distribution costs in Indonesia are still much higher than in other countries, such as Thailand. This is due to inefficient systems and policies,” he said.
As a solution, the government is preparing various regulations, including a Presidential Regulation, to shorten the distribution chain to make food prices more affordable while improving the welfare of farmers and food businesses in the regions.
“The Merah Putih Village Cooperative will become the center of village economic activity and support the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal Program,” said Zulhas.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Domestic Policy Strategy Agency assesses that strengthening regionally-owned enterprises plays a crucial role in strengthening national food security, particularly through the development of a cold chain system.
Rochayati Basra, Head of the Center for Development, Regional Finance, and Village Policy Strategy, explained that food matters are a shared responsibility between the central and regional governments, as stipulated in Law Number 18 of 2012 concerning Food and Law Number 23 of 2014 concerning Regional Government.
“Regional governments play a vital role in ensuring smooth distribution, stable supply, and effective management of food logistics,” said Rochayati.
She added that studies in several regions indicate that establishing regionally-owned food enterprises (BUMD) is a realistic way to strengthen food distribution and the cold chain system. Therefore, the government is encouraging the development of supporting regulations and the provision of incentives to ensure the national food distribution system operates more optimally and sustainably.