Expert warns food crisis may result in lower IQs<\/p>\n
BOGOR, West Java (JP): An expert has expressed concern that
\nthe food crisis and malnutrition affecting an untold number of
\nbabies in various Indonesian areas will lead to the birth of
\nstupid generations in the future.<\/p>\n
Acting rector of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture Aman
\nWirakartakusumah cited in a graduation ceremony here on Saturday
\nthe many reports of people and babies already facing food
\nshortages, and pictures of children with distended bellies
\nbecause of malnutrition.<\/p>\n
\"The reports that have reached us are only the tip of an
\niceberg,\" he said, echoing an earlier concern by Unicef area
\nrepresentative Stephen J. Woodhouse.<\/p>\n
\"Such a situation could mean (eventual) 'massive stupidity' in
\nany given area,\" he said, citing the need to anticipate problems
\nof the current food shortage.<\/p>\n
\"The nutritional status of a baby today has much to do with
\nher or his intellectual development and capabilities as an
\nadult,\" he said. \"This sorry economic state, unless
\nsystematically handled, would also mean a vulnerable state of
\nsocial, economic and political affairs,\" he added.<\/p>\n
State Minister of Food and Horticulture A.M. Saefuddin
\nrecently estimated that 17.1 million Indonesian families -- 70
\nmillion people if there are four members to one family -- were
\nalready facing food shortages. More than seven million families
\nwere already in a critical situation as they were only able to
\neat once a day or even less. Official statistics have put the
\nnumber of poor people to reach 100 million by year's end.<\/p>\n
Saefuddin said in Yogyakarta on Saturday that the government
\nplanned to import 4.1 million metric tons of rice for 1998\/1999.
\nSome 1.9 million tons have been pledged under a contract, 0.6
\nmillion tons are still in a tender process and the remainder is
\nto be processed next month.<\/p>\n
The short-term procurement of food by rice imports under
\nforeign assistance is received in different ways, such as grants,
\nmedium- and long-term loans and under commercial schemes, said
\nSaefuddin, reported Antara.<\/p>\n
The aid was given by the donors directly to target groups,
\nnon-governmental organizations and the government. The government
\nhas formed a team to avoid confusion in channeling the aid,
\ncalled Food Supply Monitoring Team. Its tasks include
\ncoordinating the allocation of aid, deciding priorities in the
\nchanneling of aid, and the areas with the highest eligibility.<\/p>\n
Saefuddin said that the rice aid was provided under the World
\nFood Program (WFP) through the government, and under the Food for
\nWork Program, managed by the agriculture ministry.<\/p>\n
The food aid received from Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan
\namounted to 900,000 tons of rice. The grants came from Japan,
\nconsisting of 50,000 tons for poor families in Java and Sumatra,
\nand distributed through WFP, 5,000 tons from Thailand, 10,000
\ntons from Vietnam through the national logistics agency (Bulog),
\nand 21,000 tons from Singapore through the security and defense
\nministry.<\/p>\n
Wirakartakusumah suggested that the government's social safety
\nnet program be launched in a holistic manner, which includes
\nnatural, financial, technological and institutional resources.<\/p>\n
\"The program should be handled well... to overcome problems
\nsuch as food shortages and unemployment, and should produce
\ncommodities which replace imported goods, earn foreign income and
\nconserve the natural resource,\" he said.<\/p>\n
For 1998\/1999, the government has allocated Rp 17.25 trillion
\n(US$1.6 billion) for the social safety net program. The bulk of
\nthe funds -- Rp 1.010 trillion -- was allocated for labor-
\nintensive projects in order to absorb dismissed workers.<\/p>\n
The government only allocated Rp 65.7 billion to develop small
\nindustries, and Rp 147.2 billion to develop cooperatives. Experts
\nhave said it was actually small and medium industries that had so
\nfar proven to be the safety valve for the crisis, absorbing not
\nonly manpower but also had stronger economic potentials. (24\/swe)<\/p>",
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