President Jokowi Asks Central And Regional Units To Help Food Availability

President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. (Photo: Setkab)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has asked governors, regents and mayors to pay attention to food availability in their respective regions. This is related to the warning issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization or FAO that the COVID-19 pandemic could cause a crisis.

"In terms of food availability, I ask the governors, regents and mayors to be careful. Again, be careful," he said, at the '2020 National Coordination Meeting of Inflation Control' which was held virtually, Thursday, October 22.

Jokowi also touched on the availability of data. He asked governors and mayors to pay attention to the availability of valid data to support proper food policy.

"Immediately strengthen the food information data, at the center there is a strategic price information center. For the regions I hope that other important types of data and information will be developed. Synergize with existing data in the regions, create an accurate regional food balance. We can quickly overcome food shortages, "he said.

According to Jokowi, accurate production and consumption data is very important. Because, based on these data, the government can find out more quickly which provinces have shortages and which provinces have excess money.

"Based on these data, trade between regions can be encouraged and cooperation between regions can be strengthened," he said.

In addition, Jokowi also mentioned the economic conditions in 2020 which are very different from the previous years. He said, during this crisis period, Indonesia was required to be able to maintain the inflation rate so that it was not too low.

Jokowi said that inflation must be kept at a balance point in order to provide stimulus to producers to continue producing. He considered, the balance of supply and demand is very important.

"So that when the economy begins to recover and people's purchasing power returns to normal, there will be no significant pressure on prices," he said.

The former governor of DKI Jakarta said that inflation control policy does not only focus on price control measures. However, it also maintains people's purchasing power. As well, ensuring that producers, especially micro, small and medium food entrepreneurs can also move.

To maintain people's purchasing power, Jokowi said the central government had distributed various social protection program schemes and cash transfers such as the Family Hope Program, Cash Aid, Village Fund BLT, Pre-Employment Cards, salary subsidies, and productive social assistance for MSME capital assistance.

Jokowi hopes that the various social assistance schemes can increase household production, raise demand again and ultimately encourage supply growth. He also hopes that what the central government has done will be strengthened again in the regions by accelerating the realization of the APBD.

"I have asked the spending of ministries and institutions as well as local governments to prioritize the absorption of domestic products, both agricultural products and MSME products," he said.