Indonesia Prone to Food Crises: LIPI
30 September 2015 19:58 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A recent research conducted by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) showed that Indonesia is at the brink of food crisis since local food production cannot keep its pace with the increasing consumption.
"Data from the Food Resilience Agency showed that in 2006-2012, the production growth in Indonesia was slower than the consumption rate," LIPI's economic researcher Esta Lestari said in Jakarta on Wednesday, September 30, 2015, adding that the data applied for basic commodities such as rice, corn, soybean, beef and sugar cane.
To address the issue, Esta said that the government must accelerate food diversification to meet basic food demands in accordance with characteristics of region. Esta added that people’s preference to consume rice had caused the consumption pattern far from ideal.
For instance, people in East Nusa Tenggara consume corn and eat rice as a complementary food. In addition, corn production in the province is sufficient to meet demands from the people.
"[In East Nusa Tengara] Rice is only consumed during special occasions," Esta said.
Therefore, Esta called on the government to promote the food diversification. Esta also said that if the demands on protein and carbohydrate could be met through the food diversification, Indonesia would no longer depend on rice import.
URSULA FLORENE