Revealed! Food Security Budget Has Decreased Since 2016, Only Increased In 2021 After The Pandemic

Grain harvest illustration (Charles Ricardo / Pixabay)

JAKARTA - The government, through the Ministry of Finance, has allocated 30 percent more funds for the food security sector throughout 2021 to IDR104 trillion. Previously, the budget for the same sector was mentioned at Rp. 80 trillion last year.

Deputy Minister of Finance (Wamenkeu) Suahasil Nazara, the increase in the budget can increase food production, as an effort to support economic recovery.

"Actually, if we look at the food security budget from 2016 to 2020, the trend is down. However, we will make an increase in 2021, "said Nyam through an official statement, Monday, January 11.

Specifically, the Deputy Minister of Finance explained that the food security budget in 2021 was given to ministries / institutions amounting to Rp.62.8 trillion.

Meanwhile, for details, the Ministry of Agriculture is IDR 21.8 trillion, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries IDR 6.7 trillion, and Ministry of PUPR IDR 34.3 trillion.

Then, for non-ministries / institutions, the 2021 APBN allocation is given to subsidies of IDR 25.3 trillion and other expenditures of IDR 5.4 trillion.

Meanwhile, transfers to regions in the form of Special Allocation Funds (DAK) amounting to Rp. 5.6 trillion in the form of irrigation DAK, agriculture DAK, marine and fishery DAK, and non-physical DAK funds for food security services.

"The increase in the 2021 budget is quite large. Please use it optimally to help the food security sector and also lead Indonesia's economic recovery in the future. We hope that there will be a good synergy between various ministries, "he said.

To note, the food security policy in 2021 will focus on encouraging the production of food commodities through building infrastructure and the use of technology.

In addition, the government will also revitalize the national food system by strengthening farmer or fisherman corporations and food distribution. The development of food estates in Central Kalimantan, South Sumatra and Papua (Merauke) is also expected to increase food productivity through empowering transmigration or existing farmers and investing in small farming.

"The agricultural sector and food security are the engines of the national economy. The workforce employed in this sector is enormous and the income generated in this sector is also enormous. The agricultural sector is our key, the key to creating a workforce, ”concluded the Deputy Minister of Finance.