FOOD SECURITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE by Fardah

Jakarta, Nov 12 (Antara) - The Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has warned that the overall impact of climate change on rice production is likely to be negative.

         While there is still ongoing scientific exploration into climate change, IRRI recognizes two universal trends predicted by all climate change models, namely the increase in temperatures, resulting in more heat stress and rising sea levels; and frequent and severe climate extremes.

         Furthermore, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) report entitled "Climate Change: Impact on Agriculture and Costs of Adaptation" forecasts that by 2050, rice prices will increase between 32% and 37% as a result of climate change. They also point out that the loss of yield in rice could be between 10% and 15%.        
    The threat of climate change was also confirmed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which said that food security remained one of the biggest issues related to climate change.

         This is why FAO's global message for World Food Day 2016 is "Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too."
    The world's poorest - many of whom are farmers, fishers and pastoralists - are the hardest hit, due to temperatures and an increasing frequency in weather-related disasters.

         At the same time, the global population is growing steadily and is expected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050, according to FAO official website during the 2016 commemoration of World Food Day on October 16.

         To meet such a heavy demand, agriculture and food systems will need to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change and become more resilient, productive and sustainable.

         At the national level, World Food Day was observed by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and First Lady Iriana in Boyolali District, Central Java Province, on October 29.

         Boyolali is a region which has successfully implemented the food production diversification program. The district produces Tongkol 2 Prolific hybrid maize and Jajar Legowo-type paddy among other things.

         Boyolali is also a pilot project for Inpari 32 paddy variety.

         "If found to be successful, we will bring more area under the project to significantly increase the national rice production," the president said.      
    The president, accompanied by several ministers, joined a paddy grand harvesting activity in Banyudono Sub-district Boyolali, and later visited an agricultural technological innovation expo.

         Widodo reiterated that he would not import rice after he saw the Inpari 32 HDB rice variety being harvested with nearly double the yield.

         "I came to the field in Boyolali to see the results of Inpari 32. Usually, we can only harvest 5.0 to 5.5 tons per hectare, but with Inpari 32, the harvest could reach 10 to 11 tons," he commented.

         Widodo said the abundant harvest was a result of the best quality seeds used by the farmers and access to enough water supply.

         "Firstly, the water supply this year was indeed abundant. Secondly, I think the use of the best quality seeds yielded good results," he said.

         On the occasion, Widodo witnessed an event where the Minister of Agriculture handed over 5 tons of Inpari 30, Inpari 32 and Inpari 33 varieties of rice seeds and NPK fertilizers to farmers.

         Indonesia needs to formulate a special strategy to convince farmers to grow more food and work towards reducing the dependence on food imports, he remarked. 
    "Our country is great. We have a fertile country, but we need to recognize certain problems the way they are. Last year, we still had to import rice, soybeans, corn, fruits and sugar," he pointed out.

         This year, Indonesia has planned to open up 200 thousand hectares of new rice fields. The plan to increase the acreage under rice farms in the country by 200 thousand hectares is expected to help the government achieve its target of unhusked rice production worth Rp76 million tons.

         In East Nusa Tenggara Province, Yohanes Tay Ruba, Head of the East Nusa Tenggara provincial Agriculture and Plantation Service, said the province would continue the program of opening of new rice fields in 2017.

         Around 224.22 hectares of the new rice fields have been ready for cultivation, he added.

         The opening of the new rice fields in NTT  so far had been carried out with the cooperation of the military, with soldiers sent to the fields together with the government elucidation team to encourage the farmers to increase productivity in their rice fields.

         "We appreciate the assistance offered by the military to the farmers to increase their productivity," he said.

         In Aceh Darussalam Province, the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) has also helped open 2.5 thousand hectares of new rice fields.

         "These new rice fields in five districts will support the country's efforts towards attaining national food resilience," Chief of the Iskandar Muda Military Command, Major General Tatang Sulaiman, said on the sidelines of a rice planting activity in the village of Kuta Trieng in the district of South Aceh, recently.

         Tatang said that he has ordered all TNI ranks under the command to keep counseling the farmers, urging them to increase production and push forward the rice, corn and soybean development program.

         He asked the community members not to be surprised when they see so many soldiers going to the fields with farmers.

         The soldiers were doing so in line with the directives of Widodo to work towards enhancing the country's food resilience level, he said.

         To ensure the program's success, the central government has allocated a huge budget for opening new areas for crop fields, building dams and irrigation networks, and procurement of agricultural equipment.

         "On this occasion, I express my appreciation to all TNI members and agricultural service employees, as well as counselors who have so far contributed a lot to make the program successful," he underscored.

         He particularly lauded the TNI members who worked sincerely and willingly as part of their service to the people.

         He reiterated that if the economy becomes strong, TNI would also be strong, since the modern wars not only involve weapons but also the economic or food sector.

         Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman has said there would be no scarcity in rice supply in Indonesia, as the country is predicted to have a surplus of 400 thousand tons in production this year.

         The minister said that based on a survey by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), the country's rice production rose significantly this year.

         The survey said planting areas from July to September 2016 period reached 1 million hectares, up significantly from an average of 500 thousand hectares in earlier years.      
    Based on an assumption that a hectare would produce 6 tons of unhusked rice, the country's production of unhusked rice would total 6 million tons, or equivalent to 3 million tons of milled rice, as against a monthly consumption of 2.6 million tons. 
    Therefore, the country's rice stock is sufficient, despite the extreme weather conditions such as floods and drought that damaged rice crops in the country this year. ***3***
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