T

he Indonesian government received an award from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) presented to recognize its consistent work in reducing hunger and malnourishment towards achieving the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).

On behalf of the government, Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Radjasa accepted the award in the Notable Result category at the 38th FAO Conference in Rome, Italy, on Sunday.

Hatta expressed his gratitude to FAO director general Jose Graziano da Silva for the award it had presented to Indonesia.

'The Indonesian government will be continuously committed to increasing efforts to achieve a conducive environment for the alleviation of poverty and hunger, and the reduction of food vulnerability and malnourishment,' Hatta said as quoted by Antara news agency.

He said the government had implemented a thorough policy in achieving sustainable food self-sufficiency, in promoting food diversification, and in increasing the farmers' prosperity.

'As a response to the FAO's warning on possible global food vulnerability, Indonesia has also made efforts to increase its staple food production,' said Hatta.

According to the FAO, Indonesia has achieved the MDGs point 1 target on poverty alleviation by reducing the proportion of people living in hunger to 8.6 percent during the period of 2010-2012 from 19.9 percent in 1990-1992.

This achievement exceeded the proportion of 9.9 percent targeted in the MDGs.

Currently, Indonesia has reduced the number of people living in hunger to 21 million in 2012 from 37 million in 1990. The World Food Summit (WFS)'s target is 18.6 million.

Indonesia was one of several countries receiving the 'Notable Result' Award, including Algeria, Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameron, Chile, Dominica, Fiji, Honduras, Jordan and Malawi.

Earlier, the UN has announced that 38 countries have beaten a UN.-imposed deadline of 2015 to cut in half the proportion of hungry people.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization on Saturday recognized the 38 countries and urged those still working to meet the UN target to redouble efforts.

The UN General Assembly in 2000 established a set of 'Millennium Development Goals' for countries. The No. 1 target was to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, including halving the proportion of hungry people by 2015.

The 38 countries include: Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Georgia, Ghana, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Maldives, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Thailand, Togo, Turkmenistan, Uruguay, Venezuela and Vietnam.