Local Based Food Security : Toward Food Sovereignty

Abstract

Food security is defined by the World Food Summit of 1996 as a condition when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life. The importance of food security for sustainability of a nation has formally been recognized by many governments. The fact that food insecurity still widely exist in Indonesia-and in many past of the world-showed that increase understanding and commitments of the government toward food security is still needed. Internalization of the real strategic meaning of food security; especially associated with nation's competitiveness and national security; is essential to increase commitment of government agencies in combating food insecurity. In the case of Indonesia, the abundant natural resources should be the basis for establishing local based food security; toward food sovereignty