As a country with large population and vast territory, food security has become an important agenda in national development. Cases of food insecurity that occured become a very sensitive issue in the dynamics of Indonesian socio-political life.
Therefore, realizing national food security, territory, household and individual self-reliance based on the domestic food supply becomes desirable ideals. By recognizing the importance of the realization of food security at these lower levels, more attention should be given to micro issues of food security as part of national development.
Thus the essence of a seminar entitled " Food Independent Village Modeling " organized by Center for Rural and Regional Development Studies, UGM, Tuesday (6 / 10). The seminar was discussing detailed results of research on modeling studies of food self-reliant villages in the Province of Yogyakarta Special Region. It presented three speakers: Professor. Dr. Ir. Mochammad Maksum, M.Sc., Director of InProSuLa, P. Sarijo, and Head of Food Security and Guidance Agency of the Province, Ir. Asikin Chalifah.
Prof. Maksum as one of the researchers stated that the Food Independent Village (DMP) was a village that has the ability to ensure the food needs of households in the village in accordance with their own preferences and capabilities without any pressure and dependence. Villagers had the ability to achieve food security and nutrition through the development of subsystems availability, distribution, and consumption by utilizing local resources sustainably.
From studies on coastal villages (in Palihan, Temon, Kulon Progo, rice village in Gadingsari, Sanden, Bantul, highland village in Wukirsari, Cangkringan, Sleman, Girisuko forest village, Panggang, Gunung Kidul, and upland village in Giripanggung, Tepus , Gunung Kidul) it was concluded that the typology of the sample villages showed clearly the importance of demand-supply approach rather than the previous supply-based approach. "In an internal study, the opportunity to build strength on the two sides have a very promising contribution to the strengthening of local food security system," he said.
It was also concluded that the strengthening of the necessary character varies from village to village. This diversity is primarily concerned with the basic characteristics of the village, as a food exporting, food importing, or a combination of both. "Therefore, carefulness to see these characteristics determines the quality of empowerment that must be done," said this Professor of Faculty of Agricultural Technology.