Food is the foundation of peace and prosperity
Food is a basic human need that must be always met. The right to obtain food is a human right.
Food availability that is less than needed can create economic instability. Various social and political upheavals can also occur if food security is disrupted. This critical food condition can even endanger economic stability and national stability.
So how important is food security?
The availability of food is something that must be fulfilled so that people can live healthily.
The importance of food concerns the welfare of society and the country. Without food, people cannot live properly.
Here are some facts about food security:
1. Fulfillment of Community Nutrition
The main function of food security in a country is to fulfill the nutrition and nutrition of the community. Food is one of the primary needs.
2. Impact on a country's resilience
The availability of food in a country influences the strength of a country. Therefore, food security is parallel to the resilience of a country.
For example, if a country does not have sufficient food supplies for its people, they will have to make sure that food imports are a step that will definitely be taken.
3. As an Economic Commodity
The important role of food for the country can also be as an economic commodity that can bring profits. For example, at a time when Indonesia had very strong food security and became the world's rice granary.
Food crops are the largest commodity that can be sold abroad and generate income that can be utilized by the country.
Efforts to Increase Food Security
1. Increasing Food Affordability and Sufficiency
Humans need food that is diverse, high quality, nutritious and safe to meet nutritional needs.
Therefore, the government is trying to increase people's access to food by setting affordable prices.
2. Increasing the Productivity of Farmers and Fishermen
Farmers and fishermen are important factors in achieving national food security.
Because farmers and fishermen are producers of food needed by the market.
Therefore, the government provides the necessary facilities and infrastructure so that they can be used in the fields of agriculture, fisheries, and animal husbandry.
3. Food Diversification and Nutritional Quality
Food diversification is the diversity of food that must be increased along with its safety and nutritional quality. Example:
- Implementation of Good Agricultural Cultivation
Efforts to produce agricultural commodities that are guaranteed, safe, of high quality, environmentally friendly, and whose origins can be ascertained before being sold to consumers.
- Good Post-Harvest Handling
Following post-harvest guidelines which include, drying, cooling, cleaning, sorting, storage, and packaging.
- Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Compliance
Sanitary is a human and animal health business, and Phytosanitary is a plant health business that applies to food produced domestically and in other countries.
4. Improvement of Business Climate and Competitiveness
No less important as a food security effort, the government must maintain the sustainability of natural resources.
5. Strengthening Sustainable Food Systems (Food Estate)
The food estate carried out by the government is based on law, so that farmers group together to form cooperatives or gapoktan.
The Association of Farmer Groups (Gabungan Kelompok Tani; Gapoktan) is a group of farmers working together to improve the economy through agricultural businesses.
The aim is to facilitate access to assistance, financing and other facilities provided by the government or other parties. Other facilities provided by the government or other parties.
History of World Food Day
World Food Day was established in 1945 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is a special agency of the United Nations (UN). World Food Day began with the 20th FAO conference in November 1976 in Rome which decided to issue Resolution Number 179 regarding World Food Day.
This resolution was finally agreed upon by 150 FAO member countries, including Indonesia and stipulated that starting in 1981 each member country would commemorate World Food Day on October 16. This date was chosen because it coincides with the founding date of FAO.
The main principle celebrated on World Food Day is increasing food security throughout the world, especially in times of crisis, as reported on the Days of the year page.
Its annual celebration serves as a marker of the importance of the FAO organization in helping raise awareness of the importance of agricultural policies by governments around the world to ensure sufficient food is available.
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