Food Security Policies in Maritime Southeast Asia

The report examines food insecurity in Indonesia, specifically in the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, and Yogyakarta. It argues that while national food supplies were generally sufficient during the 2007/08 global food crisis, poor infrastructure and low incomes hindered access to affordable food. The author criticizes the 'Swasembada Pangan' (food self-sufficiency) approach for ignoring the dimensions of accessibility and affordability, recommending a shift toward improving transportation infrastructure and creating sustainable employment in the agro-industry.

• The 2007/08 global food crisis significantly impacted Indonesia, particularly in urban areas due to their higher dependence on the cash economy, and led to increased household expenditure on food and new debts.
• Food insecurity in Indonesia is primarily driven by a lack of access and affordability rather than a lack of overall food supply, a problem exacerbated by poor transportation infrastructure that increases food prices in remote areas.
• The Indonesian government's 'Swasembada Pangan' initiative focuses rigidly on food self-sufficiency (domestic production) and fails to adequately address the needs of the poor to access healthy and affordable food.
• During the 2007/08 crisis, palm oil experienced the highest price volatility in Indonesia, with prices rising from USD 574/ton at the end of 2007 to USD 1,263/ton in 2008, leading to domestic cooking oil shortages as producers exported crude palm oil directly.
• Food insecurity is geographically concentrated in eastern Indonesia, with East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) recording the highest number of food insecure villages, totaling 923 out of 2,387 (38.67%).
• In the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), food insecurity is linked to population growth outpacing food production, as well as the impact of a major earthquake in 2006 and prolonged droughts.
• In West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), food insecurity persists despite a surplus in rice production because some districts remain isolated from key infrastructure.
• East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) faces chronic food insecurity driven by protracted drought (contributing 54%), pests/diseases (31%), and a shifting consumption pattern from traditional corn to rice.
• National policy responses, including the Conditional Direct Aid Cash and Rice for the Poor programs, are viewed as providing only short-term assistance and failing to improve long-term food access.
• The government established the Village Food Reserve (VFR) program under Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Regulation no. 30/2008 to manage food stocks at the village level and control price fluctuations.

APA

Salim, Z. (2010). Food Security Policies in Maritime Southeast Asia. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/food_security_policies_indonesia.pdf

Chicago

Salim, Zamroni. Food Security Policies in Maritime Southeast Asia. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/food_security_policies_indonesia.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Salim |first1=Zamroni |title=Food Security Policies in Maritime Southeast Asia |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=June 2010 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/food_security_policies_indonesia.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{salim2010food, author = {Salim, Zamroni}, title = {{Food Security Policies in Maritime Southeast Asia}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2010}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/food_security_policies_indonesia.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }