PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Acting Governor of West Java Bey Machmudin attended the Central and Regional Coordination Meeting in Supporting National Food Self-sufficiency at the Pakuan Building, Bandung City, Tuesday (12/24/2024).

In the coordination meeting led by Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan, the target of food self-sufficiency was discussed with six supporting factors to realize Indonesia's Food Self-Sufficiency.

"Today we are having a coordination meeting with the West Java Provincial Government and all 27 regencies/cities in West Java, with the main theme being Food Self-Sufficiency. There are six (themes) that we are discussing," said Zulkifli.

Also present at the Coordination Meeting were the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Minister of Environment, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Deputy Minister of Trade, National Food Agency, National Nutrition Agency, Bulog and all Regents/Mayors from 27 regions in West Java.

Zulkifli conveyed several themes discussed in the coordination meeting, namely irrigation, fertilizer, food availability and prices of basic commodities, the main harvest, and West Java's advantages in the fisheries sector to the management of the Citarum Watershed.

He explained that if in an area that has agricultural areas, but the district and city governments do not have the budget to build irrigation, then the central government will help.

"We are asking for irrigation to be reported immediately. For agriculture that does not have irrigation, if (the district/city) does not have a budget, then the center will build the irrigation," he said.

Meanwhile, for fertilizer, Zulkifli ensured that its availability would arrive on time for farmers who needed it during the planting season.

"Previously, the fertilizer chain was long, sometimes it only arrived at harvest time. We have cut this regulation. We asked for monitoring, so that there are no areas where there is planting but no fertilizer," he said.

Not to forget, ahead of the 2025 Christmas and New Year (Nataru) holidays, Zulkifli ensured that food availability and staple food prices must be stable.