T

he Food and Agriculture Organization in the United States defines food resilience as food security when people have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and are able to live an active and healthy life.

Poverty is the primary reason of food insecurity in Indonesia. The nation has a poor level of food resilience; hence, to a certain extent it relies on imports from other countries.

However, with efficient strategies and working communities, Indonesia can improve its food availability through the following ways.

 By enhancing agricultural support and creating sustainable agricultural development, the capacity for small-scale farmers and large-scale plantations and harvesting can be built.

Agriculture-related organizations and the government can improve and design strategies to create the nation'€™s own sustainable agriculture industry, hence reducing the need to import from other countries.

More investment can be made in agricultural sectors, as that is the basic source of raw materials and foods. Some investments are better irrigation systems, increased farmland area and higher wages for farmers.

Developing protectionist trade policy will be a good way to maintain food resilience. In terms of food trading with other countries, the nation should ensure complete protection of the nation'€™s resources so it does not run out when citizens need them and also ensure that what we obtain from other countries are of high quality.

Public purchasing and consumption should be monitored. People should not be allowed to purchase food unnecessarily and not consume it in the end. Food wastage should be minimized so there is a fair distribution of food to the upper and lower levels of society.

Food stocks should be maintained properly. When extra food is available, it should be stored in the right conditions
so it does not go bad and can be made available for those who need it.

Extra food stocks should not be destroyed or thrown away when they are still consumable. They can be used for emergency cases. Food that can last a long time and will not spoil easily should be well-stocked.

Food assistance and nutrition knowledge should be disseminated to people that are not well aware of the importance of adhering to a healthy and nutritious diet.

Where proper food facilities are not available, operation teams can evaluate the locations and begin stocking food in those areas. People can be encouraged to diversify their diets so there is a balance in the availability of food resources.

Research and development should be carried out continuously to find ways for the nation'€™s food industry to be independent. Some crops and cultivars that are usually imported can be given the chance to grow in Indonesia so that we can decrease imports.

Positive changes should be made to improve the nutritional value of food through the addition of vitamins and minerals to simple or staple foods through fortification, for example, and to increase shelf life without the use of harmful chemicals.