Yogya (KU) – Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) opened Healthy Food Outlet located in the west of the Inter-University Center Building (PAU). Official opening of this outlet was symbolically marked by the opening of the veil by UGM Vice Rector of Alumni and Business Development, Prof. Ir. Atyanto Dharoko, M. Phil., Ph.D., Thursday (20/5). The opening was witnessed by Head of Food Resilience and Counseling Board (BKPP) of Yogyakarta, Ir. Asikin Chalifah, Dean of  Faculty of Agricultural Technology, UGM, Dr. Ir. Djagal Wiseso Marseno, M. Agr., and Dr. Emi Harmayani, M.Sc., Chairman of Center for Food and Nutrition Studies UGM.
Emi Harmayani said that the goal of the outlet establishment is for disseminating information and educating the community about local food that are processed properly, have nutritional value, functional value and dignity (identified raw materials). Emi mentioned that the opening of this outlet involves players of MSMEs and farmers in Yogyakarta who are partners of the Center. "We are working with SMEs to empower farmers to produce a variety of local food products with global taste," she said.
Some food products that are served at the healthy food outlet are various local flours from tubers, bananas, and breadfruit, which can be made alternative for wheat flour. In addition, there are also a variety of organic rice, health drinks and herbs. This outlet also provides many chips, Soun canna, salted duck eggs, tuna and catfish abon, and melinjo chips from Garut.
Prof. Ir. Atyanto Dharoko, M. Phil., Ph.D., welcomed the establishment of the outlet that was initiated by the Center. In his speech, he said UGM would continue to develop healthy and safe food processing and food dignity, especially among students and the wider community. "UGM will intensively disseminate to the student that they consume healthy food, morever that we routinely report student’s health conditions through Gama Medical Center (GMC)," he said.
Asikin Chalifah said that the opening of the outlet is expected to reduce community dependence on rice. According to Asikin, potential local food will reduce the dependence by 1.5 percent of rice. "It can reduce the need for rice by 1.5 percent; we can save money and compensate rice production activities as well as anticipate changes of land use," he explained.
Asikin mentioned that the current rice consumption level in Yogyakarta province is 26,000 tons per month to meet the need of 3.5 million people. "A campaign not to consume rice for one day, I think, will be quite effective. In Japan, this kind of campaign successfully made people consume fish," he said.
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