In Order to Maintain food security

The paddy harvest area of ​​Jambi Province in 2021 is estimated at 64.41 thousand hectares, a decrease of 20.36 thousand hectares or 24.02 percent compared to 2020 which was 84.77 thousand hectares. Jambi Province's rice production in 2021 is estimated at 298.15 thousand tons of GKG, a decrease of 88.26 thousand tons of GKG or 22.84 percent compared to 2020 which was 386.41 thousand tons of GKG.

Jambi Province's rice production in 2021 for food consumption is estimated at 172.47 thousand tons, a decrease of 51.06 thousand tons or 22.84 percent compared to rice production in 2020 which was 223.53 thousand tons.

The three regencies/cities with the highest total rice production (GKG) in 2021 are Kerinci Regency, Sungai Penuh, and Tanjung Jabung Timur Regency.

Meanwhile, the three regencies/cities with the lowest rice production are Jambi City, Sarolangun Regency, and Bungo Regency.

The decline in rice production occurred in all districts/cities in Jambi Province.

The biggest decline in 2021 will occur in several potential rice-producing areas such as Tanjung Jabung Timur Regency, Merangin Regency, and Kerinci Regency. The districts/cities with the smallest declines were Jambi City, West Tanjung Jabung and Tebo.

The three regencies/cities with the highest potential for rice production (GKG) from January to April 2022 are Kerinci Regency, East Tanjung Jabung Regency, and Sungai Penuh.

Meanwhile, the three regencies/cities with the lowest potential for rice production in the same period are Jambi City, Batanghari Regency, and Muaro Jambi Regency.

The potential for a relatively large increase in rice production in the January–April 2022 Subround compared to the same Subround in 2021 occurs in Sungai Penuh, Kerinci Regency, and Merangin Regency.

Meanwhile, the potential for a relatively large decline in rice production in the January–April 2022 Subround occurred in Tebo Regency, West Tanjung Jabung Regency, and East Tanjung Jabung Regency.

From 2019 to 2021, it was recorded that Indonesia was able to meet its rice needs independently. Rice self-sufficiency is a very important part in creating national security.

From the production side, through the development of agricultural infrastructure such as the construction of dams, reservoirs, and irrigation canals, the government has succeeded in increasing the productivity of paddy fields from an average of 5.1 tons of milled dry grain (GKG) per hectare to around 5.4 tons of GKG per hectare ( Ha).

An encouraging news, on August 14, 2022, Indonesia received an award from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) as a country that is able to maintain national food security, especially rice.

At the same time, the government has also succeeded in changing the behavior pattern of people's food consumption of rice into non-rice food ingredients such as wheat and its derivative products (noodles and bread).This change in consumption patterns has resulted in a significant decline in public demand for rice.

According to data released by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), since 2011 the average annual per capita consumption of rice has decreased. The average per capita rice consumption per year in 2011 reached 113.72 kg and in 2019 it was only 103.74 kg.

With the decrease in the average consumption of rice, the demand for rice per year is lower than the production value.

Food security in the rice industry is strongly influenced by the market structure and rice trading system.

So far, the structure of the rice market in Indonesia is very fragile and sensitive to change. Rice production and supply can change in a short time. If it is felt that planting rice can be profitable, then farmers will voluntarily plant rice in their paddy fields.

On the other hand, if rice cultivation is deemed unprofitable, farmers will change their crop commodities into non-rice commodities such as secondary crops and horticulture.

This fragile market structure is exacerbated by the very narrow pattern of land tenure by farmers. The number of farmers in paddy fields is very large, but their land tenure is very small, ranging from 0.25 to 0.5 ha.

With this land tenure, farmers have never actually reached an economic scale of business.

With the condition of the market structure being fragile and vulnerable to change, the biggest challenge in the rice industry is to maintain production continuity.

The government must be able to maintain the level of production so as not to decline. Rice farmers must be maintained so that they are willing to plant rice and do not switch to other commodities.

To maintain the interest of farmers, the government must ensure that the selling price of GKG at the farmer level remains profitable and free from the intervention of rent-seeking hunters who have always been a frightening specter in the rice trade system.

In the upstream sector, farmers are offered a higher purchase price for GKG in order to dominate the market and at the same time kill other players.

In the short term, farmers can get a slightly larger profit and can increase the Farmer's Exchange Rate (NTP).

But in the long run, market domination by these rent-seeking hunters will eliminate the bargaining power of farmers.

Rice farmers will not have an alternative market in selling their GKG products.

Farmers will only be faced with one price choice so that farmers will tend to always be disadvantaged.

In this condition, many rice farmers will switch to other commodities.

The level of rice production will drop sharply and imported rice will again flood the market.

Therefore, the pursuit of rent-seeking in the upstream sector absolutely must be limited and even eliminated if the government has the desire to create sustainable food security.

If rent seekers succeed in controlling the market from upstream to downstream, then sustainable food security will only be a story and wishful thinking that will never be achieved.

If food security is not achieved, then do not expect national security to be realized in a strong and perfect manner. (Jambi data/)