Ministry Of Social Affairs To Baduy Send Aid

Baduy people (Source: Antara)

LEBAK - The Baduy community in the interior of Lebak Regency, Banten, received a program of nine staple foods or basic food in the form of rice that was rolled out by the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos).

"We, as partners of the Ministry of Social Affairs, distribute the basic necessities for the Baduy residents," said PT Aam Prima Artha (APA) Manager Refli Aulani in Lebak, Sunday, January 31.

The Baduy community who receive the basic necessities are around 1,100 Beneficiary Families (KPM) and they receive food aid every month. Baduy residents only receive rice, said Refli, while eggs, chicken, green beans and fruits are rejected.

"We distribute the rice through an e-waroeng agent in Kanekes Village, Leuwidamar District," he explained.

According to him, the rice distributed for KPM in the Baduy residential area is the result of absorption from local farmers. PT APA absorbs up to 400 tons of local rice with a financial turnover of IDR 2.5 billion, thus increasing the economic income of farmers in the area.

The absorption of rice is from local farmers as food storage centers, such as Malingping, Wanasalam, Leuwidamar, Sobang, Cirinten, Muncang and Cipanas Districts.

So far, the absorption of rice has been used to assist government programs in efforts to improve welfare as well as PT APA itself employs dozens of workers.

"We distribute the premium type of rice according to the Ministry of Social Affairs regulations and prior to distribution, the sorting and packing is done first, so that it has quality," he explained.

Santi (45), a Baduy resident who lives in Kadu Ketug I Village, Kanekes Village, Lebak Regency, admitted that she was greatly helped by the assistance of rice from the Ministry of Social Affairs so that she could meet family food consumption for the next three weeks.

"We as Baduy residents positively welcome the free rice assistance," he explained.

Meanwhile, Head of the Lebak Regency Social Service Office, Eka Permana, said that currently the number of KPM this year who get basic food is around 38 thousand to 40 thousand KPM.

Each month they receive food aid worth Rp. 200 thousand and is channeled through local village and village waroeng agents. The government distributes basic food programs to anticipate food insecurity in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The KPM received the distribution of basic necessities of 12 kilograms of rice, 15 eggs, one chicken, half a kilogram of green beans and one kilogram of fruit.

So far, the distribution of basic necessities involves partners working with the Ministry of Social Affairs and their distribution in the Lebak Regency area has run smoothly and there are no obstacles.

"We hope that basic food assistance can improve welfare, especially now in the midst of the COVID-19 epidemic," said Eka Permana.