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he Agriculture Ministry plans to take advantage of existing regional cooperation frameworks within ASEAN countries in order to push its food security agenda.

One solution, according to a ministry official, is to collect comprehensive data on commodities '€” planting and harvest seasons, types of varieties and other specifications '€” so the government can plot strategic partnerships with regional neighbors to complement national interests.

'€œFood security is a global problem; we know that climate change and the dynamics of the global economy are at the heart of the issue, and it'€™s because our neighbors have the same concerns that we'€™ve been cooperating on food security as a region,'€ the ministry'€™s secretary general, Hari Priyono told reporters after a seminar on Tuesday.

According to Hari, there was also plenty of room for neighboring countries to collaborate in trade and research efforts, as most ASEAN countries sold similar products. He argued that the same commodities produced by two different countries could complement both economies'€™ product cycles.

'€œIf, for instance, red onions were out of season [in Indonesia], then we could import them from Thailand or the Philippines when those countries are harvesting, and vice versa. This way, the price of red onions won'€™t spike when domestic supply is low,'€ Hari explained.

Conversely, if two countries sold the same commodities, both parties could pool their resources to conduct research, develop prime products and market them together. '€œIt'€™s in this context that we have to '€˜map'€™ our strengths in the ASEAN region. If we can'€™t beat them, join them,'€ he said.

To implement this strategy, R. Edwin Manansang, assistant to the Coordinating Economic Ministry for multilateral economic cooperation and financing, said the government would optimize existing regional economic cooperation initiatives like the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) or the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT).

These initiatives are seen useful for Indonesia'€™s food security agenda because they aim to distribute wealth in border areas. '€œThere is a lot of potential in these remote regions. Because many of them are underdeveloped, we are trying to find ways to increase economic cooperation and spur growth,'€ Edwin told The Jakarta Post.

President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo claimed it was possible that Indonesia could attain food self-sufficiency before his five-year term is up in 2019.

The BIMP-EAGA agro-industry working group is currently working on a joint venture between Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines, in which 59 demo sites with a combined area of almost 200,000 hectares will be used to produce hybrid rice that will benefit at least 5,000 farmers.