The House of Representatives’ (DPR RI’s) Commission IV member, Daniel Johan, lauded the establishment of the National Food Agency (BPN) as part of the government’s efforts to address food issues in Indonesia.
“Every time my commission convenes, I always urge the government to establish a food control agency. President Joko Widodo’s recent decision to establish the National Food Agency finally addressed my concerns. Hence, I express my gratitude to the president,” Johan stated here, Tuesday.
The House member welcomed Presidential Regulation No. 66 of 2021 for establishing the National Food Agency despite pointing to the nine-year delay since the passing of Law No. 18 of 2012 on Food dictated for such agency to be formed.
Johan is optimistic that food issues in Indonesia would be addressed suitably by the National Food Agency, as the regulation delegated sufficient authority for the new body. He remarked that Article 3 of the presidential regulation detailed the function of the agency to coordinate and establish policies related to food availability and price and supply stability, among other functions.
“Article 28 of the regulation also authorises the National Food Agency to draft policies related to price stability, food distribution, and food export-import,” he noted.
Johan, who represented the National Awakening Party (PKB) in the parliament, stated that Indonesians trusted the National Food Agency to address food issues that often arose in society, such as food scarcity, sudden price hike, market overwhelmed by imported products, and overlapping food control among several government departments.
He expressed hope that the government would appoint a competent person with sufficient food control knowledge and experience to lead the BPN.
Source: Antara News