After successfully hosting the first event of Food Security Forum series, the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS) hosted a gala dinner for its supporters. In accordance with the previous events, the Gala is about “Affordable Food for the Poor” which is a topic that CIPS actively endorses in the past year.
Before the Food Security Forum series, CIPS had started research on food security and agriculture under the campaign title ‘Hak Makmur.’ In principle, Hak Makmur stands for the right to access affordable foods for especially poor families. Food price is critically important for Indonesia. If it becomes too expensive, more families will be unable to fulfil their nutritional needs. As consequences, around 29% of children aged 0-5 years suffer from chronic malnutrition. It stunts early childhood development and hampers children’s ability of children to perform well academically. In the longer term, malnutrition can perpetuate cycles of poverty in Indonesia. The negative impact on these children’s futures is irreversible.
That being said, many of CIPS’ programs aim to promote sustainable food security to improve poor families’ access to affordable quality food. In Indonesia, many of these poor families who consume foods are also farmers. Knowing the high complexity of this issue, CIPS focuses on providing practical policy solutions for farmers’ welfare without an unnecessary burden on consumers. The proposed policy should have objectives to reduce the costs of food and improve its quality, which makes for higher margins and increased business revenues.
The narration above was again emphasized in each speech from the representatives of CIPS and its supporters. The Gala Dinner was also a starting point for the supporters to enhance efforts to make affordable quality food more accessible for the poor. By supporting the causes, CIPS can continue working with government decision-makers and experts to improve current policies for Indonesia’s better and prosperous futures.
