Jakarta, IO – Yogyakarta is trying to develop the Mataraman Lumbung policy to realize local food security in response to the impact of climate change-induced hydrometeorological disasters. This was conveyed by Gadjah Mada University (UGM) community service director Rustamaji, per Tempo, Mon (27/11).
Rustamaji revealed that the local food security wisdom of Lumbung Mataraman is estimated to have lasted hundreds of years, or from around the 17th century during the reign of Sultan Agung (1613-45).
“The challenge now is preparing human resources to process and revive the land so that it is optimal as part of the Lumbung Mataraman concept,” he said.
To date, there have been more than 51 locations earmarked for Lumbung Mataraman, spread across four regencies/municipalities in Yogyakarta.
On the same occasion, The Sustainability Institute director Nazir Foead highlighted the decline in forested area by up to 50 percent in the last 60 years, which is another cause of threats to food security.
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On the other hand, said Nazir, Indonesia’s population has increased threefold in the same period. This condition requires the government and society to anticipate early.
Nazir also emphasized the involvement of local farmers to ensure sustainability. Moreover, there is a lot of underused land that could actually be converted into agricultural land through the agrarian reform.
“Farmers only need land to manage, that can increase food security,” he said. (at)