Bappenas Encourages Food Fulfillment To Overcome Malnutrition Problems

JAKARTA - The Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) encourages the creation of food fulfillment for the Indonesian people to suppress the problem of malnutrition and strengthen food security.

The Director of Public Health and Nutrition at Bappenas, Pungkas Bahjuri Ali, in an online discussion in Jakarta, Thursday, August 18, said that an important factor in food fulfillment is the aspect of availability and affordability.

"The upstream to downstream challenges that concern us are the availability aspect, the second is the affordability aspect related to food," said Pungkas, quoted from Antara.

He concluded that the aspect of food availability was not limited to staple foods, but also a variety of agricultural products.

According to him, this aspect is influenced by a number of things, including the impact of disasters and climate change, the conversion of agricultural land due to urbanization, to the shrinking workforce and the lack of regeneration of young farmers.

Then, he continued, the aspect of affordability is considered important as a factor that determines food can be reached by the wider community.

In addition, he said, the problem of poverty and the relatively low purchasing power of the people, accompanied by food prices that tend to increase, are also factors that determine food fulfillment.

He argues that the aspect of food utilization also needs to be encouraged so that more people are aware of the nutritional and nutritional needs needed.

Pungkas revealed, Bappenas encourages coordination and synergy between the central government, regional governments, and all stakeholders to strengthen regulations on food and nutrition security.

"So maybe the food is there, but it is not affordable. Or the food is there but the diet is not balanced. This is a food development challenge that must be done from upstream to downstream," he said.

Furthermore, Pungkas said, strategies in order to meet food needs and strengthen food security must be carried out in a sustainable manner.

He asked all parties to increase food production, distribution processes, to consumption patterns that are managed in a sustainable manner, as well as to prevent food wasted activities.

"When we talk about nutrition, there will be a connection between availability and consumption, between food to people. Don't let there be a mismatch," he said.