Secretary to the Deputy for Food Affordability and Security at the ministry, Dirhansyah Conbul, said in a statement here on Friday that every government program should deliver tangible benefits to local communities.
"Whatever we do through government programs must primarily provide benefits to communities at the grassroots level. The people of West Manggarai District must directly benefit from efforts to promote forest-based local food as a source of income that can improve the local economy," he said.
The commitment was highlighted during the Sunset Dialogue themed "Food Forest: From Tourism Landscape to Food Security Landscape," held in Natas Parapuar.
The dialogue was part of a series of working visits to monitor the implementation of regional food security programs in West Manggarai District, involving the central government, regional administration, businesses, academics, communities, and local residents.
Prior to the dialogue, participants symbolically planted trees in the Parapuar area as a show of support for environmental conservation and the development of the food forest concept.
Various economically valuable fruit trees were planted, including Miyazaki, Nam Dok Mai, Agrimania, and Kiojay mango varieties, Black Diamond guava, Alligator Jumbo avocado, and Jumbo Thailand sapodilla.
Conbul said that developing forest-based local food could become a new source of economic growth that complements the tourism sector, ensuring that the benefits of development are not limited to increasing tourist arrivals.
Acting President Director of BPOLBF, Andhy M.T. Marpaung, said when contacted from Kupang on Friday that, as a Super Priority Tourism Destination, Labuan Bajo's development must integrate tourism, food security, and environmental conservation.
"Through the food forest concept, we connect destination development with food security so that environmental conservation, the utilization of local food, and improvements in community welfare can go hand in hand. This is what quality and sustainable tourism development looks like," Marpaung said.
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Translator: Kornelis, Kenzu
Editor: Primayanti
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