Agricom.id, BEKASI – The government keeps doing the best to expand and ease the local food access for the people. This is about to encourage the local food consumption in the society. To support it, Ministry of Agriculture Indonesian Republic gives access not only in person but also in digital through marketplace.

The people and medium, small, and micro business (MSMB) do welcome the government. Many people visited Ekspose Pangan Lokal 2020 in Summarecon Bekasi held on 26 - 29 November 2020.

Andi who does Saung Taleus business and one participant in the expose told that the visitors were enthusiastic and searched for the info about local food. “The visitors asked about the local food and the advantages,” he said.

In the beginning I was doubtful but after seeing them, my products (stocks) for about 4 days were sold only in two days. “I had to get them (products) back,” he said, as in the official statement to Agricom.id.

“I do hope that the government could always facilitate such event so that the information about local food could be widely spread to the people and they could understand more,” he said while hoping.

Nurhayati, a visitor in the event, Sunday (29/11/2020) told that she just knew kinds of local food, such as, cassava, taro, and others an could be processed to be interesting food products.

“As a matter of fact, cassava, taro, and other are not boiled or fried only. they could be processed to be dim sum, and other delicious foods,” she said. She thought that the products are good taste because they prevent kinds of disease and good for diet.

The other visitor, Yuli said that she is interested in substituting rice by local food because it relates to Kenyang Tidak Harus Nasi campaign in the expose.

“There are many options to substitute rice that I always eat. I would try because I am not full if I do not eat rice. I got the substitution here,” she said.

In his speech in the Launching Marketplace and Ekspose UMKM Pangan Lokal within the theme Pangan Lokal Goes to Digital Marketing on Thursday (26/11/2020),  Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) told that in the Covid-19 pandemic, the local food could create to give opportunity to make new markets.

“I think that in the Covid-19 era, we could encourage the new market approach. The people could order food from their home in digital. Just about click, choose what to want. Everything could be delivered. We would increase and support the digital ways such these,” SYL told.

Just like SYL, Head of Badan Ketahanan Pangan, Agung Hendriadi told that his side would do improve the food access to the people by empowering MSMB by the development, training, increasing production, product branding, until the fund access through kredit usaha rakyat (KUR). “We would do the best to help them, open access for local food MSMB directly in the market and online,” he said. (A2)