REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The State Audit Board (BPK) has pointed out serious flaws in the national food data, termed its accuracy questionable and has urged that it needs to be improved.
BPK member Rizal Djalil said his board has found that the same data had been used over the years based on which decisions were being taken, even as ground reality changed every year.
"There is a chronic problem with regard to the national food data, particularly that related to land. Data about acreage of productive land, food product yields and so on was faulty," Rizal told a press conference at the BPK office in Jakarta on Monday.
He pointed out that Indonesia was facing food problems once again. The gap between what the country required to feed its people, and the amount of food procured always triggered political uproar, particularly igniting debates about whether food procurement should be met through domestic production or imports.
The basic problem is with the accuracy with which Indonesia could calculate its food needs and adopt a correct strategy when it comes to national food procurement, he added.
"We have reviewed the performance of the country's food policy and its implementation, including evaluation of fertilizer procurement and distribution. The results of our examinations have shown that were problems in the procurement of food and fertilizers in Indonesia," Rizal stated.
BPK expert for environment and sustainable development, Blucer Wellington, remarked that data used as input for policy formulation regarding food imports should have a strong basis and rationale.
"We have to use accurate data. The BPK will make recommendations about how to overcome such a problem that has been continuing for long," stressed Blucer.
Earlier, the Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO) had also questioned the accuracy of the national food data. It was of the view that the data of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), used as a reference, served the interests of government officials such as district heads and ministers and there is a big possibility to manipulate the figures.
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