Parliament urges utilisation of home yards to build food security

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Abdul Fikri Faqih, a member of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives, is urging the public to contribute to building food security at the family level by utilising home yards. “By utilising limited land at home to plant vegetables and raise livestock on a small scale, we not only save expenses but also ensure that family nutrition is well met,” said Fikri, quoted in Jakarta on Tuesday. He also encouraged the utilisation of these yards by distributing stimulus aid in the form of catfish seeds, chicken chicks, and vegetable seeds during his recess period in Tegal. This aid is expected to shield the community from the threat of logistics paralysis due to the global energy crisis. The global energy crisis, according to Fikri, could instantly paralyse local distribution routes, even if food reserves are abundant. Therefore, he views community-level self-reliance as the last line of defence for survival. To build this micro-level resilience, the aid he distributed is also designed as a pillar of daily nutrition, encompassing native chickens, catfish in jerry cans, and polybag vegetables. “We want the public not only to be consumers but also producers for their own needs. This is the embodiment of the self-reliance we want to build together,” he said. The food security package distribution programme was enthusiastically welcomed by local residents. The community considers this aid relevant to their daily economic needs while also serving as practical education to start an independent food barn from the household scale.