Strengthening Archipelago Food Security And Food Sovereignty in ENT – Indonesia

Yohanis, Ngongo Kotta Noldy Procula Rudlof Matitaputty

In the semi-arid archipelago region of East Nusa Tenggara (ENT), food security and sovereignty have been long discourse and challenge. During 2019, drought and recent locust invasive have deteriorated and destabilize food security in the region. The Pandemic Covid-19 affects inter-islands transportation, agribusiness and remittances that limit people’ access to food. This paper explores food crops diversity in the semi-arid region and how it can be managed to minimize impact of pandemic’ disruption. We critic the policy of “business scale” to be implemented in the mosaic and marginal environment and provides dialogue of “small but secure” grounded in the Indigenous Knowledge. “Development started from periphery” as a new paradigm in National development should also gain momentum in shaping agricultural development in archipelago, strengthening food security and sovereignty and limited or minimize escalating impact of pandemic. Limited access to the global food market during pandemic should be a good lesson learnt in promoting and developing indigenous/local food crops, keeping its diversity and conserving natural resources.