IPB University Experts Receive Awards from the National Food Agency
Two IPB University experts were honoured in the development of consumption diversification and food safety by the National Food Agency. They are Prof Drajat Martianto, Chief of the International Research Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, and Prof Purwiyatno Hariyadi, Professor of the Department of Food Technology Science at IPB University.
The awarding of the Diversification of Food Consumption and Safety 2024 award was given directly by the Chief of the National Food Agency, Arief Prasetyo Adi, which was held in Bandung, on 15/2 at the Launching of the Expected Food Pattern Score (PPH).
Prof Drajat Martianto said that in the last five years the food consumption pattern of the community with the indicator of the achievement of the Expected Food Pattern has indeed tended to improve, mainly due to the increase in the intake of vegetables and fruit as well as animal food.
“But there are still many challenges faced, firstly how the role of local food sources of carbohydrates can continue to be increased, especially in the current situation where rice production is declining. Secondly, how the availability of affordable animal protein sources can be maintained at a stable price, and thirdly how vegetables and fruits can be increasingly affordable through the utilisation of yards and other land that is increasingly narrow,” he explained.
He continued that food diversification programmes in the future must prioritise low-income groups and regions where the purchasing power of food diversity is very limited.
“Food fortification must also be part of the pro-poor strategy, so cross-sector and cross-discipline cooperation is needed. IPB University has study centres and faculties and departments that can contribute a lot to this,” said Prof Drajat.
Meanwhile, Prof Purwiyatno Hariyadi who is one of the experts in the field of food technology expressed his gratitude for being given the opportunity to collaborate with the National Food Agency in many activities aimed at improving food safety in Indonesia.
“Thank you for the collaboration that has been carried out, especially activities related to the socialisation and education of food safety to the public, as well as increasing the capacity of food business actors, especially for fresh food.”
Prof Purwiyatno hopes that the National Food Agency and all partners can continue to improve performance and collaborate in several ways, one of which is strengthening the supervision and control system for fresh food safety at every point in the food chain, to ensure the safety of fresh food products and other food products produced with fresh food.
“Ensuring food safety today is an investment in health for the future. Therefore, with strong commitment and cooperation among food safety authorities, the National Food Agency can realise food safety to achieve the vision of a healthy Indonesia, as a country with a strong food safety system, and contribute to the transformation of a more sustainable food system,” he said. (*/Lp) (IAAS/RUM)
