"It is indeed an irony if people keep relying on just the government program."Kupang (ANTARA News) - Bishops representing all the churches of Nusa Tenggara region are planning to set up a general program for the development of economics in the continent, particularly with regards to food sovereignty.
"The program was initiated for cooperation and information exchange among Economic Social Development Commissions (PSE) and all dioceses of Nusa Tenggara, in order to provide all necessary support framework, such as the development of food sovereignty among farmer groups," said Bishop Atambua, Mgr. Domiiukus Saku, during the ninth Nusa Tenggara Pastoral meeting here on Thursday.
The pastoral meeting discussed the awareness of catechism regeneration in pastoral services, said Saku before adding that the meeting also evaluated the implementation of food sovereignty in each diocese.
The evaluation of food sovereignty, according to him, was set up at the eighth pastoral meeting where an implementation target was set in Maumere at the Sikka regency in July 2009.
He admitted, the food sovereignty principles had been implemented by local churches in various dioceses through PSE as part of its empowerment process.
"The empowerment process has been executed at the level of farmers. However, churches facilitate a raising awareness of food sovereignty even as people remain hopeful," he continued.
Bishop Dominikus claimed that 2,535,987 people or approximately 55 percent of total 4.7 million people in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) were Catholics and were the responsibility of the local church leader who empathizes with the people-food sovereignty.
"Concrete ways at the parish level should be our top priority. People are focusing on farmers` group development to realize food sovereignty while being supported by churches," he stated.
According to Bishop Dominikus, the government program for food sovereignty was synchronized with the current local development program.
"It is indeed an irony if people keep relying on just the government program," he added.
Governor of East Nusa Tenggara, Frans Lebu Raya, agreed that the bishops` support has crucial elements that continue to elaborate food sovereignty in that province.
Lebu Raya affirmed that he was committed to maintain the local food levels, even as NTT produced much of it to grow maize, tuber, and banana.
Thus, he mentioned that the pastoral meeting could bring good momentum to develop various foods, and promote balanced, healthy, and safe diets. He also added that food diversification was needed to be implemented so as to support other foods.
However, people frequently misunderstood because rice was the staple food. Meanwhile, there are many different kinds of local food that can be substituted with rice. In addition, the content of carbohydrate in these food items is equal as that for rice.
(Uu.LPW/INE/KR-BSR/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
