Various Local Food Sources: What could be done?

By Trustha Rembaka.          

Indonesia is rich in biodiversity, including plant and animal food sources. Biodiversity has not been utilized optimally as a food source due to various causes, for example, low knowledge about food ingredients, minimal references on how to process them, a flood of imported products, and undeveloped local material and other factors.

It impacts Indonesia's food security in 2020 and 2021 showing still below the global average with an index of 62,2, and lower than the Asia Pacific average with an index of 63,4. The food security index, Global Food Security Index (GFSI) is measured from four indicators, namely affordability of food prices (affordability), availability of supplies (availability), nutritional quality (quality and safety), and sustainability and adaptation (sustainability and adaptation). The good news is that in 2022 there is an improvement.

Referring to plant food sources, Indonesia has 77 types of carbohydrate sources, 26 types of nuts, 389 types of fruit, 228 types of vegetables, 110 types of herbs and spices, 40 types of beverage ingredients, and 1.260 types of medicinal plants. They must be promoted continuously and developed by stakeholders, including young people and students.

The student movement concerned with local food issues continues to be strengthened by Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta in the Student Discussion on Local Food Initiatives at the secretariat of Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta (9/9/2023). When the nation has a variety of local foods, what can students do with this great potency? Of course, they are expected to be able to innovate in the cultivation, processing, and marketing of products that will boost the economy of the local community.

Trustha Rembaka started the discussion by inviting the participants to mention various ways of processing food. They answered frying, sautéing, steaming, boiling, roasting, and grilling. Moreover, there are other alternatives, such as smoking, fermenting, and drying. Next, Trustha guided the participants to talk deeper about the food potencies around where they live and map the derivative products that could be produced, for example, Effie Rambu Boba from Anajiaka, Central Sumba revealed bananas, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and livestock, Ando from Sorong talked about sago and salak, so that it is known as the salak village. Then Sutopo from Batumarta, South Sumatra, said that coffee, cassava, and papaya grow around his house, while Yonas said that cashew nuts are abundant in the Manggarai Regency, where he lives. Also, Mensiana from Kanatang, East Sumba Regency, explained that corn, pumpkin, and peanuts are dominant crops there.

As a further step related to the topic 'Having a variety of local food, what can you do?', the participants initiated to process local food products that are easy for them to work with, including bananas to ‘manggulu’ with an innovation, yellow pumpkin to food and snacks, and also corn processed into 'Kawuhuk'.

By broadening knowledge about local food ingredients, adding references to processing methods, and practicing processing local sources into products ready to sell, young people will be the inspiration for the re-existence of local food of this nation. You can do it!***