Head Of Badanas: The Key To Food Independence Is In The Village

JAKARTA - Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi assessed that the key to food independence lies in the village, which plays a strategic role as the spearhead of food producers to realize sustainable food security.

"We believe that the key to national food independence is in the village. Therefore, in strengthening food self-sufficiency, we fully support the initiative of all parties who encourage productivity and food independence," said Arief as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, January 15.

He conveyed that President Prabowo Subianto's administration puts food security aspects as a top priority to support the realization of food self-sufficiency.

"In order to support that, Bapanas is also committed to supporting the realization of the food self-sufficiency vision. One of them is through strengthening the village as the main basis for food independence," he said.

As directed by President Prabowo, Arief continued, food self-sufficiency needs to be encouraged from the village level, for example by developing food barns.

As the spearhead of food producers, villages play a strategic role in realizing sustainable food security.

According to him, self-sufficiency can also start at the village level which is able to support food security nationally.

"This is important so that the food reserves of the village community are always there, so that the farmers' crops are always absorbed," he said.

In this regard, Badanas has mapped for the development of the Community Food Barn (LPM).

Based on a LPM classification survey conducted until November 2024, a total of 1,751 active LPM throughout Indonesia were spread across 34 provinces.

The most LPMs are in East Java Province with 337 LPM. While the second most provinces are West Java with 189 LPM.

"Meanwhile, farmers in Subang Regency already have a 'Mitra Tani' cooperation program with Perum Bulog with a total area of 100 hectares," he said.

He explained that LPM is a storage area for farmers' production combined with facilitation of processing tools and machines. This was built to strengthen Community Food Reserves (CPM) as part of the National Food Reserve.

Arief said, with the existence of CPM, it can help anticipate when a drought occurs, price fluctuations, and disasters.

Apart from LPM, Arief continued, the development of food based on local resources in villages will also be encouraged. This is because local food is important and strategic.

"We will fully encourage the use of local food as a long-term strategy in supporting food self-sufficiency. This is in accordance with the mandate in Presidential Regulation 81 of 2024," explained Arief.

Arief stated that LPM was also one of the focuses in the direction of President Prabowo Subianto.

The Head of State encourages the development of national food barns so that they can touch the village level.

Similarly, the Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) explained President Prabowo's enthusiasm in realizing food self-sufficiency.

"It's only been three months, (but) we have decided not to import rice. The President said cheer up first, work hard first, try first. Don't import a little," said Zulhas.

Zulhas emphasized that the importance of overseeing the food self-sufficiency program so that it can be carried out immediately, this is in accordance with President Prabowo's direction for the realization of national food security.

"The president's love for the people is extraordinary. Don't waste it, even if it's 1 second to continue to fight together towards self-sufficiency in food, so that Indonesia becomes a developed country," added Zulhas.