Regional Heads Play Key Role in National Food Security

Bandung, W Java (Antara) - Governors, regents, and mayors play an important role in national food security because they determine the pace of achieving the food security target, claimed Deputy Agriculture Minister Rusman Heriawan. "Without the complete attention of governors, regents, mayors, among others, the food security program will work slowly," he stated at a food security session for the western part of Indonesia on Thursday. Food security should be viewed from a national perspective. Regions having a great potential in the agricultural sector must be committed towards producing farm commodities to subsidize other regions, which do not have good agricultural potential, he pointed out. "We will be very proud if a regency or municipality that has farm production surplus subsidizes other regions," he noted. Not only Indonesia but the rest of the world is also currently facing food problems. In many countries, investment in the agricultural sector is less attractive, he reported. "The FAO has warned of various conflicts if the food problems are not handled seriously," he asserted. Food problems can be handled at a regional level by creating an institution to build up food reserves, he explained. "Both the regional offices of the state run Board of Logistics (Bulog) and state-owned food companies will assist in the effort," he claimed. The food sector must also have good production and distribution systems to better address the food problems, he reiterated. "Food security depends on production and distribution," he stated. (*)