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Chief of the Presidential Staff Moeldoko has asked regional governments to increase the production of superior food crops.

“In Bima (West Nusa Tenggara), their maize is superior. This productivity must be further increased in order to maintain regional and national food security," he said while receiving Bima Mayor Muhammad Lutfi at the Bina Graha Building, Presidential Palace Complex, here on Tuesday.

Food security is key for facing the risk of a global crisis, he observed. Therefore, the government is seeking to promote food security through various strategies and policies.

In terms of financing, the government has provided People's Business Credit (KUR), which can be accessed by agricultural sector players at an interest rate of only three percent until the end of 2022, he informed.

The government has also increased the credit's ceiling to Rp373.17 trillion (US$23.8 billion).

"Regional governments can use it either for the procurement of agricultural machinery and equipment or the corporatization of the agricultural sector," Moeldoko said.

Moreover, the government is also diversifying regional foods by increasing the production of corn, sorghum, sago, and cassava through land expansion and the opening of new areas, he noted.

"Currently, anything is done to maintain food security so that there is an even distribution of people's welfare," he said.

Meanwhile, Bima Mayor Muhammad Lutfi said that an inadequate irrigation system is still impeding efforts to increase agricultural production. Thus, corn growers are still relying on rainwater.

"We need a dam that can be used as technical irrigation to increase agricultural production, especially of corn," he said.

Currently, the city government is planning to construct two dams, he informed. The dams are expected to prevent floods during the rainy season like those experienced in 2016.

In 2016, high rainfall caused the river water to overflow and flood the entire city, causing Rp2 trillion (US$127 million) in losses.

“In addition to anticipating flooding, this dam is also very important as a source of raw water. Thus, we need support from the Presidential Staff Office," he added. (Antaranews)

The Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture has outlined a number of efforts that parents must make to improve children's nutrition.

The efforts include ensuring that children eat their breakfast and consume enough vegetables and fruits, the ministry's deputy, Agus Suprapto, said after a Strategic Policy Dialogue on School Children's Nutrition, which was streamed online on Tuesday.

"Increase fruit and vegetable consumption while limiting the consumption of unhealthy foods, such as foods with a high amount of salt and sugar," he advised.

Parents should also ensure that children undertake an adequate amount of physical activities.

"Moreover, make sure that children implement a clean lifestyle such as properly washing their hands and brushing their teeth," he said.

If necessary, parents can also give their children, especially teenage girls, blood booster supplements to prevent the risk of anemia, he added.

Improving the nutritional status of school-aged children and teenagers necessitates the participation of many parties, not just parents, he said.

The active role of teachers, health workers, community organizations, educational institutions, health service facilities, and workplaces is vital for supporting the dissemination of information on the importance of balanced nutrition for children, Suprapto said.

"The role and support among sectors and ministries or institutions will be necessary for improving the nutritional status of school-aged children and teenagers to realize a quality golden generation," he added.

On April 19, 2022, the School-Aged Children and Teenagers’ Prosperity Improvement National Action Plan (RAN PIJAR) was unveiled with the support of a number of ministers and institution heads, he said.

One of its goals is to improve the nutritional status and health of school-aged children, in accordance with the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture's Regulation No. 1 of 2022 on RAN PIJAR. (Antaranews)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will take part in a summit of the Group of 20 major economies next week, most likely attending virtually, his spokesperson told the Suspilne public broadcaster on Tuesday.

Zelenskiy had said last week he would not take part if President Vladimir Putin attended the Nov. 15-16 summit in Indonesia. Serhiy Nykyforov, the spokesperson, did not say whether Zelenskiy had changed his position. (Reuters)

North Korea said on Tuesday it has never had arms dealings with Russia and has no plans to do so, its state media reported, after the United States said North Korea appears to be supplying Russia with artillery shells for its war in Ukraine.

White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby said last week the United States has information that indicates North Korea is covertly supplying Russia with a "significant" number of artillery shells.

Kirby said North Korea was attempting to obscure the shipments by funnelling them through countries in the Middle East and North Africa and that Washington was monitoring to see whether the shipments are received.

A North Korean defence ministry official called the allegations a rumour and said Pyongyang has "never had 'arms dealings' with Russia" and has "no plan to do so in the future."

"We regard such moves of the U.S. as part of its hostile attempt to tarnish the image of the DPRK in the international arena by invoking the illegal 'sanctions resolution' of the (U.N. Security Council) against the DPRK," the official said in a statement carried by the KCNA, referring to the North by the initials of its official name.

Any arms aid would be a further sign of deepening ties between Moscow and Pyongyang as Russia's isolation over its war in Ukraine has grown.

North Korea was one of the only countries to recognise the independence of breakaway Ukrainian regions, and it has expressed support for Russia's proclaimed annexation of parts of Ukraine.

"North Korea is clearly using the Ukraine war to tighten its relations with Russia," Victor Cha, of the U.S-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in a statement.

Kirby's comments suggest Washington will watch the shipments but will not intercept them given it does not believe it will impact the war significantly, he said.

However, the United States has the capacity to track shipments, and interception could be an option given that Russia wields a veto at the UN Security Council and can block any measures there, Cha added.

"To avoid any military altercations, U.S. authorities could coordinate with willing countries to detain the cargo at customs to prevent their making it to the battlefield," he said. (Reuters)