VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - National Development Planning Minister and National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) head Suharso Monoarfa has outlined three efforts made by Indonesia to support the transformation of global food systems to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs).

"First, Indonesia commits to transforming its food system at the national and regional levels," he said at the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) +2 Stocktaking Moment, held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy.

Indonesia's Law No. 18 of 2023 concerning Food has mandated the country to transform its food system into a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable one, Monoarfa observed in an official statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday.

As the largest archipelagic state, Indonesia is striving to transform its food system by localizing it according to the country's local biodiversity and sociocultural aspects, he informed.

"In this context, Indonesia considers agricultural food system transformation and the nexus of food, energy, and water, as essential aspects of the 2025–2045 National Long-term Development Plan (RPJPN)," he said.

The minister then elaborated on the second effort, stating that Indonesia is emphasizing the importance of strengthening the agricultural sector and supporting smallholders in efforts to successfully transform its food system.

"Smallholders play a crucial role in the food system. Therefore, the Indonesian government takes initiative to create an 'enabling environment' that can help smallholders," Monoarfa explained.

The final effort pertains to the urgency to forge stronger and more inclusive multi-party partnerships for transforming the food system.

The minister said that the Indonesian government has initiated a series of multiparty dialogues and partnerships, such as the formulation of the Regional Action Plan for Food and Nutrition, to achieve this end.

In addition, the central government has allocated a dedicated budget to help regional governments develop local food systems, he added.

"The world should intensify cooperation and collaboration for the sake of the development of the food system. Together, we must invest even greater collective efforts to achieve the targets set in the SDGs," he stressed.

Furthermore, he urged the world to achieve the goals by developing more sustainable, just, and resilient food systems with the objective of alleviating global famine and poverty. (Antaranews)