62 Food Vulnerable Areas, DPR Encourages Revision Of Law To Be Immediately Completed

JAKARTA - Member of Commission IV DPR RI Daniel Johan, encourages the completion of the revision of the food law to overcome the problem of 62 regions from 514 regencies/cities that are categorized as food vulnerable.

"Currently, there are 62 out of 514 regencies/cities that are categorized as food vulnerable or 12.06 percent of the total region. In addition, food loss and food waste reach 23'40 million tons per year, with the potential economic loss of IDR 231 trillion to IDR 551 trillion per year," said Daniel, Friday, November 28.

On the other hand, Daniel continued, the absence of special funding arrangements in the Food Law has caused the financing burden to always depend on state finances. He also highlighted the issue of food data that is not in sync, institutions that overlap, and coordination between sectors that are still weak.

"For this reason, the revision of the Food Law needs to be carried out," he said.

Daniel revealed, there are several aspects that are considered. First, the geographical and constitutional aspects where food is the basic right of citizens and has become the mandate of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.

Second, the sociological aspect. Daniel assessed that Indonesia needs to strengthen food independence and sovereignty, especially in the midst of climate change and shrinking agricultural land which reaches almost 700,000 hectares.

"The third is a juridical aspect. There are many provisions in the current Food Law that are no longer in accordance with the needs of the times, so it needs to be adjusted to strengthen the national food system," he said.

The PKB legislator from the West Kalimantan electoral district also explained a number of important points in the Food Bill. Among them, strengthening domestic food production, national food reserves, handling and preventing food insecurity, quality standards, packaging, and halal guarantees, funding and food information systems, as well as strengthening national food institutions.

Food management must be strengthened. The function and authority of food institutions needs to be expanded so that they are more focused, effective, and directly responsible to the President. For this reason, the discussion of the Food Bill must be completed immediately," he explained.

Daniel emphasized that the revision of the Food Law was not just a refinement of regulations. "But it is a strategic step to ensure that Indonesia is able to face the global food crisis and realize national food sovereignty," he concluded.