Indonesia Not Experiencing Food Crisis Says Agriculture Department
Thursday, 28 August, 2008 | 00:03 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Achmad Suryana, Head of the Food Security Board at the Agriculture Department, said yesterday (26/8) that currently Indonesia is not experiencing a food crisis as energy and protein supplies are sufficient for national needs.

“However, Indonesian does not have equal access to food,” said Achmad.

He explained that food production has been increasing every year.

From 2004 to 2008, production of rice increased by 2.6 percent, corn 7.0 percent, soy bean 1.4 percent, sweet potato 1.7 percent, palm oil 18.4 percent, sugar 21.9 percent, beef 6.5 percent, chicken meat 17.4 percent, and eggs 9.2 percent.

Fishery production has increased by 6.7 percent per year.

The supply of energy also rose from 3,005 kilocalories per capita per day in 2004 up to 3,145 kilocalories per capita per day in 2008.

In addition, the supply of protein increased from 76.22 grams per capita per day up to 83.28 grams per capita per day.

According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), there are 35 million people classified as poor people.

In order for poor people have access to food, Achmad suggested an empowerment program for poor people through village business units and the National Program for Community Empowerment (PNPM).

The government has targeted 11,000 villages to be developed under the rural agribusiness program including 1,108 villages for the food security program and 237 villages for the integrated agriculture program.


Reh Atemalem Susanti