PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - The city of Bandung was chosen to be one of the cities in the world that runs the Urban Futures program. It is a program that combines urban food systems, youth participation and climate action.

In Indonesia, the Urban Futures program is implemented in the city of Bandung (West Java) together with West Manggarai (East Nusa Tenggara). Each city was chosen for its unique contribution to the Indonesian youth movement and the broader food system in Indonesia.

Head of the Bandung City Food and Agriculture Security Service (DKPP), Gin Gin Ginanjar, said that Bandung City was chosen because it was considered capable of developing the concept of food security, one of which is through Buruan Sae.

"Sae's hunt has become the world's attention. We have been involved with Milan Fact and Bandung has become an active member, that's why Bandung has become a pilot area," he said, Thursday (15/2/2024).

In addition, the City of Bandung has become an active member of the Milan Pact for Urban Food Policy (Milan Urban Food Policy Pact) and is improving its food system. The city of Bandung has created a multi-stakeholder platform and developed a food and nutrition action plan.

Bandung City plans to expand urban agriculture, strengthen storage capacity, promote healthy food initiatives, and address food waste issues.

He said, this program focuses on developing an urban future by planning the concept of a city developing food security that involves many stakeholders.

"We are getting assistance for assistance until 2027. Now we just need to plan for the kickoff of providing assistance," he said.

The assistance, continued Ginanjar, was in the form of mentoring, capacity building, collaborative planning for future city development, especially food.

"The essence is building human resources, the output is in the form of city planning and collaborative studies and analysis of various stakeholders, especially for young groups," he said.

Urban futures is a 5 (five) year global program (2023–2027) that combines urban food systems, meaningful youth participation, and climate action.

This program is funded by the Fondation Botnar and managed by Hivos, the Humanist and Social Innovation Foundation (Humanis), the RUAF Global Partnership on Sustainable Urban Agriculture and Food Systems (RUAF-CIC), as well as local partners, networks and experts.

Urban futures will operate in 10 cities in Colombia (Cali and Medellin), Ecuador (Manabi and Quito), Indonesia (Bandung and West Manggarai), Zambia (Chongwe and Kitwe), and Zimbabwe (Bulawayo and Mutare).

The Urban futures program will focus on three main objectives:

1. Influence and support the development and implementation of transformative urban food policies through multi-stakeholder forums and youth movements.

2. Shaping a new narrative that reimagines inclusive and climate-resilient cities so as to inspire changes in behavior and consumption patterns.

3. Enabling young entrepreneurs in the sustainable food sector to develop and increasing financial flows to inclusive and climate-resilient cities. (Diskominfo Bandung City/UPI)