The Institute of Community Service – Lembaga Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat (LPKM) of Bakrie University together with Indonesian Association of Food Technologists – Perhimpunan Ahli Teknologi Pangan Indonesia (PATPI) bring together stakeholders (academics and government) in a forum of the 3^rd Webinar From Home to discuss central issue on “National Food Reserve during the Covid-19 Pandemic”

This event was held on Friday (May 8^th, 2020, at 14.00-16.00 WIB) with the following speakers:

1. National Food Security during the Covid-19 Pandemic (Dr. Bustanul Arifin – Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Lampung).
2. Policy on the Use of Local Food as an Alternative Food Source during the Covid-19 Pandemic (Dr. Agung Hendriadi – Head of the Indonesian Food Security Agency).
3. Food Consumer Behaviour during the Covid-19 Pandemic (Dr.agr. Wahyudi David – Lecturer of Food Technology Study Program, Bakrie University).

The Law No. 18 Year 2012 on Food instructed that food security can be actualized through food sovereignty, food independence, and food safety. Food security is the way to achieve these conditions. Even though the goal of food sovereignty has long been resonated, up to this day that goal is still a long way to be achieved.

Once again, national food security is being tested in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Prices of a number of raw materials drastically decrease in production centres, while prices at the consumer level remained high. The decreasing prices of a number of food commodities at the farmer, animal husbandry and fisherman level in recent weeks were triggered by, among others, distribution and logistical barriers to the implementation of Large-Scale Social Restriction (PSBB) which were interpreted separately by the regional government. This is causing unabsorbed food production, while on the other hand people need food for consumption. On the consumer side, there has been a shift in consumption patterns amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Because more activities have to be carried out at home, this resulted in people cooking their own food at home and people starting to restrain themselves to dine out.

The Covid-19 pandemic is a momentum for stakeholders (government, academics, and the community) to work together to create food security in this country. Local food is expected to be the ‘king’ in its own country. Finally, the Covid-19 pandemic is also a momentum for changing the paradigm of the resilience system in this country where stakeholders can play a maximum role according to their respective capacities.

Thank you to PATPI, the speakers, and the committee for holding this event. I hope the event is useful.

#wfh #LPKM #UBcampus #patpi