West Bandung Regency's Strategy to Tackle Potential Food Insecurity
The West Bandung Regency Government (Pemkab) is preparing premium rice as a regional government food reserve (CPPD).
The reserve rice is intended to anticipate a food crisis caused by a prolonged dry season resulting from El Nino, as well as to address areas prone to food insecurity and natural disasters.
According to data from the West Bandung Regency Food Security and Agriculture Service (DKPP), total rice procurement for food reserves between 2022 and 2025 reached 145.37 tonnes. Of this, 60,722.1 kilogrammes had been distributed by 2025, with 84,647 kilogrammes still in stock.
“This is proof that the government is present for people in need, not only providing assistance during disasters. I want the public to feel at ease and for their food security to be met,” said the Regent of West Bandung, Jeje Ritchie Ismail, when contacted on Friday (10/7/2026).
Jeje has instructed the West Bandung Food Security and Agriculture Service (DKPP) to monitor food availability.
He does not want any West Bandung resident to experience food insecurity, including during this year’s dry season, which is expected to last longer due to the end of the La Nina phenomenon and the transition to El Nino.
“I have also ordered the DKPP that if there are still people in need or short of food, the regional government stands ready,” Jeje added.
The head of the West Bandung DKPP, Lukmanul Hakim, added that food reserves serve a vital function as a buffer when production and public needs are out of balance.
Food reserves are also crucial for handling a range of situations, from natural disasters and food insecurity to emergencies, stunting interventions, and efforts to control inflation and maintain price stability for basic necessities.
“Should any of these occur, with the regional food reserve in stock, we carry out interventions for affected communities,” said Lukmanul Hakim.
For the procurement of the reserve rice, he said, the West Bandung Regency Government is cooperating with Bulog. Thus, in the event of an emergency, it will immediately distribute the food reserves to residents in need across West Bandung.
“We work with Bulog, so if a food emergency occurs we simply coordinate with Bulog to deliver to affected areas. From the start, the rice we procured has been premium grade,” said Lukmanul.
The head of the Food Security Division at the West Bandung DKPP, Agus Hendarsyah, explained that the distribution of reserve rice is already stipulated in West Bandung Regional Regulation (Perda) Number 11 of 2022 on Food Security, which is elaborated by Regent Regulation (Perbup) Number 46 of 2022 on CPPD.
There are two mechanisms for distributing the reserve rice. The first is a top-down system, whereby food aid distribution is mobilised directly on the instructions of the regional head. This distribution is usually of an emergency nature and is prioritised for responding to natural disasters, price shocks, or food insecurity.
“The second is a bottom-up system: should a disaster, price shock, or stunting occur, distribution is proposed at either the village or district level. On Thursday we already socialised this to the villages and districts,” said Agus.