Heaptalk, Jakarta — The East Kutai Government seems to be very serious about increasing the Food Security Index (IKP) in the region. To encourage the realization of excellent food security to improve community welfare, the East Kutai Government through the Food Security Department has carried out several maneuvers.
Recently, the East Kutai Food Security Department conducted a working visit to the National Food Agency (Bapanas) to discuss IKP indicators.
“The aim of this working visit is to equalize perceptions (definitions of indicators) because our understanding about several indicators is apparently different from the Central Government (understanding). But now it is clear. So, later the data will align,” said Edy Supriadi, Technical Policy Reviewer, East Kutai Food Security Department.
According to Edy, as a follow-up action to the working visit, the East Kutai Regency also plans to invite Bapanas to visit the area in order to provide in-depth guidance about food security index indicators.
“We plan to invite people from relevant centers to visit in February or March,” said Edy.
Regarding differences in data between districts and provinces in the IKP assessment, the Head of the East Kutai Food Department, Ery Mulyadi, emphasized that this is reasonable because there are differences in the indicators applied in the Province and District.
“This is normal because the province applies 9 indicators, while the district applies 6 indicators. However, next year the provincial and district indicators will be 12 indicators so there will be no differences,” concluded Ery.
Apart from coordinating with Bapanas, the East Kutai Food Security Department also plans to form a special team to collect data listed on the IKP indicators. Through this initiative, the East Kutai Government hopes to obtain valid and accurate data.
In order to boost the local food security index, the Food Security Department is also strengthening the upstream by building a high tech Rice Processing Unit (RPU).
Currently, the East Kutai Government reportedly has completed the construction of one RPU. In the upcoming year the local government also plan to build a new RPU, making a total RPU to reach three units.
According to the Head of the Food Security Department, Ery Mulyadi, the technology embed in the RPU has a grinding capacity of 3 tons per hour or 24 tons per day.
“Apart from that, this technology is able to improve the quality of the harvest, from low quality rice grain to high quality rice,” said Ery.
With these efforts, East Kutai Regency expects increase food availability in the local area, which is one of the indicators for boosting the IKP.