Food estate will be a part of the National Strategic Program (PSN) for 2020-2024. Quarterly review must be conducted to ensure that it yields result.Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government should re-evaluate the food estate program that is deemed to have been allocated a relatively large amount of state funding, according to House of Representatives (DPR) Commission IV member Andi Akmal Pasluddin.
"Food estate will be a part of the National Strategic Program (PSN) for 2020-2024. Quarterly review must be conducted to ensure that it yields result," Pasluddin noted in a statement here on Thursday.
He asserted that the nation cannot afford to spend large sums of money for the food estate program but still end up importing food from abroad.
He highlighted that food imports, such as horticultural and farm food, were still occurring since 2020.
In addition, Pasluddin noted that the domestic food supply chain and food production process were still hindered owing to social restrictions and work terminations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Hence, evaluation is deemed necessary to ensure that the budget spent by the state benefits the people in terms of food requirements," Pasluddin asserted.
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He stressed the importance of providing a sustainable food solution for Indonesia wherein economical and healthy food products are available to meet requirements of households.
Pasluddin believes that meeting domestic requirements will also boost the farmers' prosperity in addition to fulfilling food requirements.
Earlier, researcher from the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) Eko Listiyanto stated that the food estate program planned by the government can be the solution to meet food requirements in future.
"In addition, the post-pandemic economic policy trends indicate that most nations would concentrate on driving their respective economic independence, especially in the areas of food and health," Listiyanto said.
He explained that the farming sector, including the food estate, was proven to have survived amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which can incentivize citizens to develop this sector until the industrialization stage.
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Translator: Razi Rahman, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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