Worried About Stunting Threats, PKS Asks The Government To Reduce Imports Of Staple Foods

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JAKARTA - Member of the House of Representatives Commission IX from the PKS faction, Netty Prasetiyani Aher, asked the government to reduce the shackles of importing staple foods to prevent the threat of stunting. According to her, people's welfare will be difficult to create if the government is still dependent on food imports.

"Efforts to reduce the stunting rate in Indonesia must be carried out comprehensively from various sides, including steps to provide high-nutrition food easily and cheaply", said Netty to reporters, Thursday, September 30.

According to BPS (Statistics Indonesia) data, continued Netty, in the period January to August 2021, Indonesia imported more than 15 million tons of basic commodities worth US$ 8.37 billion or equivalent to IDR 118.9 trillion. For corn commodity during January-August, 592,101.7 tons have been imported, while imports of fresh fish are 507.8 tons.

"We should be concerned and sad about this condition. The government must find the root of the problem, why with the sea area reaching 2/3 of the total area of Indonesia or about 5.8 million square kilometers, Indonesia still depends on fish imports", said the Chairman of the PKS Central Executive Board for Social Welfare.

"Supposedly, this potential should be explored and maximized to meet food needs", she continued.

According to the Deputy Chairperson of the PKS Faction, the condition of high imports of Indonesian food ingredients further threatens the stunting rate in Indonesia. Indonesia, said Netty, has the potential for food shortages if it does not immediately build food self-sufficiency.

"This can be a serious threat to stunting reduction, which we are currently the fourth world champion. The government should pay more attention to the lives and welfare of farmers, not only limited to self-sufficiency in food but also nutrition self-sufficiency", she said.

Netty also asked the government to interpret the momentum of Hari Raya. National Farmers September 24, 2021, to build commitments and actions to make farmers happy.

"We should make farmers happy by optimizing the use of domestic food sources to meet their needs. Our land is rich in food sources, such as corn, cassava or cassava, rice, potatoes, coffee, tea, and cloves", she added.

In addition, Netty reminded the government to empower farmers and improve their lives so that food independence is achieved and the threat of stunting can be prevented.

Netty said, BPS data from 2013 to 2020 there has been a drastic decline in young farmers aged 25-34 years remaining only about 2.9 million.

"Don't let Indonesia, an agrarian country, finally lose farmers because of the declining interest of the younger generation to become farmers", she said.