BPKN takes measures against warning of global food crisis 2020
reported by: Setiawan Liu
Jakarta, May 7, 2020/Indonesia Media – During the virtual meeting on April 13, 2020, Indonesian President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo said that the warning sent by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), that we must show concern, keep alert on coronavirus outbreak which would lead to the situation of global food crisis. President Jokowi stressed the availability of staple foods in front of the provincial governors. The pandemics of coronavirus has been spreading. According to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) on consumers’ needs which must be fulfilled, namely (1) access to commodity goods and services, (2) disadvantaged and weak consumer protection, (3) consumer protection related to human health and security, (4) promotion and protection against consumer’s economy, (5) access to consumer’s sufficient information which enable them take decision based on the information of what they wish and need. Therefor BPKN needs to study further on the potential crisis of food. The study is intended for what the consumer needs toward staple foods in which BPKN will take notes, and give solution to central government. “the study of the consumer’s needs towards an access to consumers for staple foods with good price and the fulfillment of consumer’s rights as what the implementation of articles 4b, consumer protection law “the right for choosing goods and/or service and obtain the goods and/or service equivalent to the value and condition, and guarantee as well,” said the chairman of BKPN Ardiansyah during the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on May 6, 2020.
The meeting was attended by stakeholders such as Indonesian Ministry of Trade (Kemendag), Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan), Fisheries and Marine Affairs (KKP), an NGO the Institute of Consumers Empowerment, logistics association (ALFI) and other participants. Their attendance was intended to explore and seek solutions for potential food crisis.
Working at sectoral level, the ministry of agriculture (Kementan) has established Early Warning System which is effective to develop supply chains for agricultural products during the latest four national public holiday. It was said the national supply would be surplus though there was mismatch between surplus producing areas and minus consumption areas. The production of green cayenne pepper in 2019 increased by 9,3 percent, equals to 1,37 million tons per year, since 2017. Meanwhile, the production of onion in 2019 increased by 5,3 percent, equals to 1,5 million ton per year since 2014. There was a surplus of red cayenne pepper till June 2020, namely 7.484 tons. Steps have been taken to anticipate, while also distributing donation of seeds so that the farmers manage to continue the production. Red cayenne pepper, till August 2020 still has surplus, up to 7.686 tons and will likely keep producing. By September, there is a surplus up to 1.526 ton, a declining production which lead to push producing areas to maintain the production. But
the implementation of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) would lead to the situation of declining production of agriculture. Since the farmers are still worried to cultivate staple foods. Besides, the Ministry and Food Security Agency (BKP) allocated funds for the distribution of food from surplus to minus area under the coordination of BKP untuk distribute production from surplus to minus area. But this was not effective if the supply of agricultural products, which will be distributed insufficient. (sl/IM)
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