"Indonesia is and will continue to stick to its commitment to achieve, maintain, and enhance food security and nutrition alongside guaranteeing the welfare of farmers," Minister Fachir emphasized here on Thursday.
The minister delivered the statement at the opening session of the Regional Conference on Strengthening Southeast Asia Food Security, Nutrition, and Farmer Welfare through the UN Decade of Family Farming.
Fachir pointed out that Indonesia had continued to prioritize food security in its national development agenda.
"Indonesia, home to some 260 million people, has given top priority to food security as national security. It is crucial that we ensure food security, particularly since it will impact not only us as a country but the region too," he reiterated.
The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated that Indonesia had progressed notably in terms of agricultural development in recent years, as was apparent by Indonesia's cereal production doubling in the three decades covering 1979-2009 period.
"The FAO noted that Indonesia, one of the world's most populous nations, had managed to realize self-sufficiency in food and strategic crops and boost the overall level of food security," Fachir pointed out.
The minister revealed that the government had offered the ownership of some three hectares of land to 24 million skilled members of the farming community.
EDITED BY INE
Reporter: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
