Famine Disaster In Lanny Jaya, Puan's Critique: Can Be Prevented If Local Government Performs Disaster Mitigation Well

Lanny Jaya Regent's Office. ANTARA/Marius Frisson Yewun

JAKARTA - Chairman of the House of Representatives Puan Maharani reminded the government to promote disaster mitigation due to climate change, including its impact on people's food problems. In particular, Puan highlighted the case of the drought that hit Lanny Jaya Regency, Papua, and triggered people's hunger.

"Famine due to the drought in Lanny Jaya has been repeated, and should not have happened if the local government carried out disaster mitigation properly. This case of famine in Lanny Jaya must be the last," said Puan in a written statement.

The sad news is that three people have died and hundreds of residents in Kuyawage District, Lanny Jaya, have suffered from hunger due to the drought that has hit since early June. The drought was triggered by extreme cold weather so that this frost had damaged people's food crops.

In addition to disaster mitigation, Puan said, local wisdom in dealing with potential disasters also needs to be preserved. For example, the local wisdom of Lanny Jaya residents in storing food reserves such as sweet potatoes, which is adaptive to cold weather.

“The local government must accompany and facilitate residents to take care of local wisdom, such as storing sweet potatoes in the ground. This local wisdom must also be integrated into a planned mitigation program,” said Puan, Wednesday, August 3.

Bung Karno's grandson also reminded the local government to support food security by continuing to assist residents in cultivating local food crops, especially those which are a source of carbohydrates.

“The source of carbohydrates does not have to be rice. Nature Papua actually saves food sources containing very diverse carbohydrates, such as sago, sweet potato, taro and so on. Do not let this diversity of food sources be abandoned because they are too dependent on rice,” said Puan.

Furthermore, Puan reiterated how Bung Karno had always realized the importance of preserving Indonesia's food resources in order to achieve national food security.

According to Puan, food security is important to anticipate the threat of a global food crisis, one of which is caused by climate change and conflicts between countries, such as the current war between Russia and Ukraine.

"The threat of a food crisis is real and is already in front of our eyes," said the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture.