SURABAYA, EAST JAVA (VOA) —
Budi Waryanto, acting Director of Food Availability, National Food Agency, said the government has prepared a number of lands outside Java as buffer areas for national food production to ensure sustainable food availability amidst the climate crisis.
“Later there will be areas that have the potential to become buffers for our national production. Of course there is in Kalimantan. “As far as I remember, there are some that are being designed for 2025, the areas are in Sumatra, there are also a few in Kalimantan, Sulawesi, even in Papua,” said Budi in a discussion with the theme “The Importance of Food Sustainability in the Midst of the Climate Crisis,” Tuesday (5/3).
Budi did not mention in more detail regarding the size of the food production buffer area and the types of food crops that will be developed. However, the area will be planted with food crops in accordance with national needs.
A farmer plants rice seeds in a rice field in Demak, October 23 2018. (Photo: Antara/Aji Styawan via REUTERS)
Budi explained this in response to questions regarding the spike in food prices in most regions in Indonesia in the last few months. The increase in food prices has sparked public concern about the availability of food supplies, even though the government has confirmed that supplies are sufficient.
Based on data from the National Strategic Food Price Information Center (PIHPS), in the last few months the prices of basic commodities, especially rice, red chilies and garlic, have increased significantly.
The average monthly price of quality rice below I in traditional markets in all provinces, for example, rose more than 9 percent from IDR 14,550 per kilogram in January to IDR 15,900/kg in early March. The price of red chilies also jumped more than 15 percent from IDR 61,450/kg in January, to IDR 71,100/kg.
During the discussion, it was revealed that the increase in a number of basic commodities was triggered by climate change factors. The uncertain climate, which is exacerbated by the El Nino phenomenon, is affecting planting patterns and crop yields of agricultural commodities.
A chili seller sorts his harvest at his stall in a traditional market in Jakarta, June 4 2015. (Photo: REUTERS/Darren Whiteside)
Apart from climate change, according to Edvin Aldrian, Professor of Meteorology and Climatology at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), geopolitical tensions also play a role in increasing food prices. Especially food ingredients that must be imported, such as wheat which is used to make bread, noodles and so on.
“Comprehensively, climate is yes, but another thing we observe is geopolitical instability. “It turns out we have observed this, Ukraine, for example, which is a source of our wheat imports because we cannot grow wheat, it is disrupted,” he said.
Climate Knowledge for Farmers
Supari, coordinator of the Climate Variability Analysis Division, Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), said farmers must be equipped with knowledge and understanding of extreme climates so they can anticipate their impacts in the future. The reason is that extreme climates will always recur every year, so information is needed to reduce risks.
“The things that the government needs to do in this case are to continue to increase public understanding, provide climate literacy for farmers. “Most of the farmers now are of the younger generation so they are very literate in information technology, and this is an opportunity to provide understanding,” said Supari.
Angga Dwiartama, lecturer and food researcher at the School of Life Sciences and Technology, Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), agrees that there is a need for appropriate technology to deal with climate impacts in the food agriculture sector. However, Angga reminded that the application of technology in the agricultural sector can be accessed by all groups of farmers, especially small farmers.
“Actually, the technology is already available. The question is how feasible it is for farmers to use these technologies. If, for example, we are talking about large farmers, access to mechanization technology is relatively easier. “But as I noted earlier, most of the rice farmers in Indonesia are small farmers who find it difficult to access expensive or advanced technologies,” he explained.
The sorghum plant is being seriously developed in Indonesia. (Photo: Ministry of Agriculture)
Seed Innovation and Local Wisdom
The availability of competent food technology alone is not enough to overcome the impact of climate change on food crop production.
Edvin Aldrian believes that other innovations are needed to overcome the impact of climate change on food crop production. One of the important things is providing seeds that are resistant to weather changes and are adapted to land conditions.
“There are already superior seeds that can be planted in land with lots of water, dry land, and also land that is slightly acidic, but it depends on whether farmers want to plant it or not,” said Edvin, who also serves as Deputy Chair of Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change/IPCC)
Ahmad Juang Setiawan, climate researcher from Traction Energy Asia, said the government needs to explore local wisdom in the field of planting patterns, which in the past was still widely used by the community.
The efforts of local communities which have proven to be able to survive climate change in a number of regions in Indonesia, need to be a lesson and input for all parties to survive in the midst of the climate crisis which threatens food availability.
“It is an input for the government and other regions to try to explore the local wisdom of each region of course, and diversify the agricultural system, that all regions cannot use the same system with the characteristics of each region, both rainfall, slope, and so on,” said Ahmad. (ps/ft)