FOOD SECURITY WITHOUT CULTURAL WISDOM

"Where there Heaven on Earth dipijak cherished"

Recently I wrote an article "I'm Proud to Be A Farmer" contains about cultural wisdom that mengakat rice linkage with the local culture, an article I read on the internet re-slicing the liver. The article raised about the erosion of culture on eating sago Papuans. There are several things that must be understood we are together, Indonesia is a country composed of 475 tribes scattered with 17 504 islands spread from Sabang to Merauke to have their cultures and livelihoods Based on the geographic location that influence the food base material. So when we talk of food security in Indonesia do in Measure of Rice, but then had in view of the geographic location, special food and culture in each region.

Well, .. I try to discuss a bit about the Food Security Policy is set by the Government on the tribe in Papua as well as the impact of what happened.

Papuan people familiar with rice from other tribes such as the outside Papua, volunteers, staff of government and in part other than the overseas community in 1963, but long before that coastal communities recognize marauke rice through the first missionaries in the 1800's.

Papuan community consists of 115 tribes with staple foods based on sago, sweet potatoes, bananas, cassava, taro, but the popular will on the people of Papua are only two meals a staple food is sago and sweet potato. But "since the entry of oil palm since 1983 the hamlet hamlet felled sago which impact on the game goes down as well as young children no longer eat sago '.

"Data from Papua Foodstuffs says since 1998 there were 30% of the population of Papua mengosumsi tuber crops (petatas), 15% mengosumsi sago and the remaining 55% mengosumsi rice. Not only that but in the years 1996-1998, the production of sweet potato in Papua as many as 435 000 tonnes. But this number continues to decline every year "

"Data of Agriculture and Foodstuffs 1996-1998, the production of sweet potato in Papua as many as 435 000 tonnes. But this number continues to decline each year. In the 1999-2001 year only reached 340,000 tons. Worse in 2003 with total production of only Rp 250,000 tons. The largest sweet potato production in the Central Highlands region (Paniai, Puncak Jaya, Jayawijaya, Tolikara, Yahokimo, Star Mountains, and Nabire) ". See here

   A. As a base material made of plastic or biodegradable plastic is broken down
   2. As a medicine to cure stomach ache
   3. As a substitute for petroleum fuels that are environmentally friendly.

Papua community has known since his ancestors sago, sago and even now already is identical if it is associated with people of Papua, plus many cultures who are born again as a symbol of Papuan society engagement in the sago with giving birth to many dances, customs and other cultural rituals associated with sago. Uniformity can be imagined by the government on rice as their staple food becomes a problem in Papua and Maluku society, ranging from the high prices of rice and a high demand for temporary, on one hand the lower the Papuan people who eat local food, this is worsening with the policies raskin which would speed up the process, people are lazy tendency to grow rice because a lot of time to repel rodents and birds at night and by day, until the impact on the loss of culture associated with Sago.

On this side of the Government claimed to be more observant in the implementation of food security in each area, no more talk of food security is the uniformity of rice in the entire territory of Indonesia.

Conclusion:

   A. Policy of socialization of rice in order to National Food Resilience instead would damage the diet and culture of Papua and Maluku Society.
   2. Government Policy on Food Security should pay attention to geography, local cultures and taking into account the staple food of the local community.
   3. The Government should establish a Territory of Papua and Maluku in Indonesia Sago Granary considering the potential of natural and human resources in Papua and Maluku have people in the cultivation of sago palms.
   4. The government should develop the potential of sago in order to find energy that are environmentally friendly Fuel remember Sago and Cassava can be alternative fuels Bioethanol Raw Material Providers.