5 Problems Threatening Indonesia's Food Security

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) steering committee member Marsudi Wahyu Kisworo on Monday said Indonesia’s food security is faced with five main challenges in the form of climate change, pandemic, geopolitics, population growth, and the future generation of farmers and fishermen. 

Climate change presents a challenge for farmers as the weather can no longer depend on the weather as a yardstick to cultivate farm crops. 

“The rainy season is currently irregular. As a result, farmers often face agriculture losses because the rice they plant is flooded or the lack of water due to drought," said Marsudi in the 2023 Indonesia Food Security Stretching Forum Group Discussion on February 27.

The pandemic that had lasted nearly three years also contributed to hampering the process of land harvesting, which is worsened by the war between Russia and Ukraine affecting the food supply chain. 

Another aspect considered a challenge for Indonesia’s food resilience is the reduced land areas as BRIN data shows agricultural land reduced by up to 100 square hectares annually. Lastly, Indonesia still faces difficulties in creating new generations of farmers and fishermen. 

“This is one of the main problems. A solution must be presented in how we can attract millennials to become farmers,” he explained. 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) consultant, Nukila Evianty, said there are many ways to deal with challenges regarding food security. One of them is by empowering farmers.

“Farmers in Indonesia are not prosperous. Even farmers don't want their children to become farmers. This situation is quite sad. We might eat products from farmers, but in reality, farming is not a job that is in great demand,” said Evianty. 

HANIFAH DWIJAYANTI

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