Some Steps from the Indonesian Government to Prevent Food Crisis

VIVA – The Presidential Chief of Staff, Moeldoko, stated that several steps taken by the Indonesian government to prevent a food crisis during world economic turmoil have been very effective.

"The steps of Indonesia are very accurate to achieve food self-sufficiency, and there are clear indications of how the Government is building infrastructure in the food sector," said Moeldoko at the Merdeka Barat 9 Forum (FMB9), it held online, in Jakarta, Friday, October 21, 2022.

Moeldoko conveyed that Indonesia implemented dynamic and proven policies to reduce the impact of global economic and political problems because of the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

However, according to him, these problems have an impact on achieving the targets of the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN).

Furthermore, Moeldoko explained that until now Government has built some supporting infrastructure for the Indonesian food sector, including 35 dams, 10,035 hectares of irrigation networks, and 21 food reservoirs.

In addition, the Government also rehabilitated 152,615 hectares of irrigation networks, provided 2.86 cubic meters/second of raw water, and built 157 kilometers of flood control and coastal protection.

"This has supported Indonesia's food surplus in the last three years. The government has anticipated the crisis. So, we are not short of food until now. Our price balance is also a surplus of approximately three million tons," Moeldoko explained.

Indonesia's rice production in 2022 will increase compared to the previous year, from 55.67 million tons of dry milled grain (GKG) to 54.42 million tons of GKG. BPS data on March 31, 2022, also shows the national rice supply reached 9.11 million tons. The rice stock continued to increase on April 30, 2022, by 10.15 million tons.

Moeldoko also said that President Joko Widodo at every opportunity also emphasized the importance of the Indonesian people planting anything to avoid a food crisis.

In the energy sector, the Biodiesel 30 (B30) program can reduce oil imports, provide a price balance for domestic palm oil commodities, and improve the trade balance deficit.

Also, the government is developing new renewable energy from geothermal, and water resources, to solar heat. Moeldoko said that in 2022 the achievement of new and renewable energy had reached 12 percent of the target of 23 percent in 2025.

"The central government in anticipating the global financial crisis, especially inflation, is also collaborating with local governments in terms of providing subsidies for the distribution of goods so that goods are not scarce. Social assistance in the form of social protection is also massively distributed. Thus, people's purchasing power is maintained, and the economic burden on society is reducing," Moeldoko explained.