"Food security is important issue especially with the prices which tend to rise," Dutch Minister for International Cooperation and European Affairs Ben Knapen said in a press conference at the national development planning board (Bappenas) building here on Monday.
Knapen said if the food prices were not controlled, it would have a negative impact on the poor people.
According to him, food security was one of several cooperation between Indonesia and the Netherlands, which would help Indonesia among others in food research and development.
He said the focus of cooperation this time was not as wide as that in the past, because it would be aimed at improving institutional capacity for development, climate change, and forest damage management.
The Dutch government has a commitment to supporting development cooperation in the form of grants amounting 53 millions of euro.
Meanwhile, State Minister for National Development Planning Board/National Development Planning Board chairman Armida S Alisjahbana said the cooperation between Indonesia and the Netherlands was focused on a number of important sectors.
She said the important sectors were about water related climate issues, food security, governance which was focused on law, and higher education.
Armida pointed out that the Netherlands was known to have a lot of experts in water management, and therefore the country would help Indonesia develop water management system in Jakarta.
(Uu.O001/HAJM/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
