Rice shortage hits East Nusa Tenggara

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 09/28/2007 3:31 PM

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang

The East Nusa Tenggara administration has asked the central government to supply 58,600 tons of rice to overcome a food shortage threatening 468,657 people in the area.

Setianus Medi, head of the social development bureau at East Nusa Tenggara's provincial secretariat, said Wednesday the provincial administration would distribute the rice to areas affected by shortages.

He said East Sumba regency had asked for 1,692 tons of rice, to be distributed to 21,161 families over four months, while East Flores regency had asked for 532 tons, to be distributed among 213 villages.

Setianus said the rice shortages had been caused by lack of rainfall which that led to crop failures.

Deputy Governor Frans Leburaya said Tuesday, at the opening of a Kupang exhibition on non-rice local foods, the provincial administration was encouraging residents to eat local foods other than rice, at least twice a week.

Leburaya said that statements on food shortage were misleading, and that people in Timor, East Flores, Lembata and Alor were accustomed to corn as their basic food. Therefore, the rice shortages did not necessarily mean a lack of food supplies.

""Many people think of rice as the only staple food available, so when there is a lack of rice, people say it will lead to starvation. In this area, however, people are accustomed to eating corn, sweet potatoes and beans.""

He said in order to deal with the shortages, the local administration has taken four steps: controlling food supplies, controlling food distribution, controlling food quality and diversification, and increasing peoples purchasing power.

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