Jakarta, cidiss.co – Efforts to Strengthen Food Security Programs, UI Economic Expert: Government is Quite Anticipatory
The Government’s Strategic Policy is considered quite anticipatory, especially in anticipating production shortages and delays in the planting period, especially facing Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.
This was stated by Economic Expert at the University of Indonesia (UI), Fithra Faisal Hastadi, in an interview with the theme ‘Maintaining National Food Security’, with Radio Elshinta (13/03).
In 2024, according to Fithra, social assistance funds will amount to IDR. 498 trillion or almost the same as what happened in 2021 in the pandemic era.
“This is an anticipatory step by the government to ensure that basic food products do not fluctuate too much, especially during critical times such as Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr,” said Fithra.
He also revealed that in February and March the distribution of social assistance experienced problems because it was related to political events where since 2023 consumption of LNPRT [Non-Profit Institutions Serving Households] carried out by political parties and mass organizations increased by 18%, as well as social assistance activities that carried out by the government.
“Previously, leading international institutions have stated that in 2022 and 2023 there will be an El Niño. “And the government has followed up with the right strategy, but the problem that occurs in the field is distribution which still needs to be improved,” said Fithra.
On this occasion, Fithra reminded that from a production perspective, the government must also be vigilant considering that March and April are harvest periods.
“Don’t let import activity at that time be high, so that farmers suffer losses because the farmer’s exchange rate will be degraded. “Therefore, problems of time, supply and distribution must be anticipated well in advance,” he explained.
On the other hand, he continued, from a budget perspective, social financial assistance should be adequate, but in terms of implementation and execution it is often problematic.
“For this reason, the government still needs to pay attention to this matter so that this latent problem can be resolved immediately so that the level of social welfare of the community can increase,” said Fithra.
Fithra added that reliability in reading road map data is important. Because food security is not just a short-term problem, but remains a medium and long-term problem. This will later produce policies in the short, medium and long term.