West Bandung Regency's Strategy to Tackle Food Insecurity, Drought, and Natural Disasters During Dry Season

The West Bandung Regency Government has prepared premium rice as a regional government food reserve (CPPD) to anticipate a food crisis due to the prolonged dry season caused by El Niño, as well as to address food-insecure areas and natural disasters. Based on data from the West Bandung Regency Food Security and Agriculture Office (DKPP), total procurement of the food reserve rice from 2022 to 2025 reached 145.37 tonnes. Distribution up to 2025 has totalled 60,722.1 kilogrammes, leaving an available stock of 84,647 kilogrammes. “This is proof that the government is present for the community in need, not just providing assistance when a disaster occurs. I want the community to be comfortable and their food security to be fulfilled,” said West Bandung Regent Jeje Ritchie Ismail on Friday (10/6/2026). Jeje has instructed the DKPP to monitor food availability. He does not want any residents of West Bandung to experience food insecurity, including during this year’s dry season, which is predicted to be longer due to the end of the La Niña phenomenon and the transition to El Niño. “I have also ordered the DKPP that if there are still people in need or experiencing food shortages, the regional government is ready,” Jeje added. Head of the West Bandung DKPP, Lukmanul Hakim, added that the food reserve has a vital function as a buffer when production and community needs are unbalanced. The existence of food reserves is also crucial for handling various situations, ranging from natural disasters, food insecurity, and emergency conditions, to stunting management and efforts to control inflation and maintain the stability of staple food prices. “If such situations occur, we have regional food reserve stocks and we will carry out interventions for the affected communities,” Lukmanul Hakim said. For the procurement of the rice reserve, the West Bandung Regency Government cooperates with the State Logistics Agency (Bulog). In an emergency, the government will immediately distribute the food reserves to residents in need in West Bandung. “We cooperate with Bulog, so if a food emergency occurs, we just coordinate with Bulog to send supplies to the affected area. We have procured premium quality rice from the start,” Lukmanul stated. Head of the Food Security Division at DKPP West Bandung, Agus Hendarsyah, explained that the distribution of the rice reserve is stipulated in Regional Regulation No. 11 of 2022 on Food Security, detailed by Regent Regulation No. 46 of 2022 on Regional Food Reserves. There are two distribution mechanisms. The first is a top-down system, where food aid distribution is driven directly by instructions from the regional head. This distribution is usually for emergencies and prioritised for natural disaster response, price fluctuations, or food insecurity. “The second is a bottom-up system, where in the event of a disaster, price fluctuations, or stunting, distribution can be proposed from the village or sub-district level. We have already socialised this matter to villages and sub-districts,” Agus said.