TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The House of Representatives (DPR) encouraged the creation of a bill to address the issue of food waste and food loss. Arief Prasetyo Adi, the head of the National Food Agency or Bapanas, said his side is currently in consultation with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights to come up with the appropriate rule.

“We have started with a hearing with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights and will be inviting ministries and institutions in the second week of November,” Arief said in his statement, on Thursday evening, November 9.

He also said that Bapanas would continue to push for the completion of the bill.

Drafting regulations, he argued, requires a comprehensive study involving various relevant stakeholders in order to achieve the goal of strengthening food security. The regulations should also include sanctions, which require the application of the precautionary principle.

Food loss and food waste are among the biggest challenges in the current global food system. Based on the United Nations Environment Program's (UNEP) 2021 Food Waste Index Report, around 13 percent of the global food production is lost between harvest and retail. In addition, an estimated 17 percent of total global food production is wasted at the household, food service, and retail levels.

According to a 2021 study by the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas), Indonesia’s food loss and food waste in 2000-2019 reached 115–184 kilograms per year. This amount could feed 61-125 million people or around 29-47 percent of the Indonesian population.

RIANI SANUSI PUTRI

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