Top 10 Regencies in South Sumatra with the Highest Food Security

Based on data from the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU) Timur Regency has the highest food security compared to other regencies in South Sumatra Province.

According to Law No. 18 of 2012, food security is the condition of sufficient food availability for the nation down to individuals, reflected in the availability of sufficient food in terms of quantity and quality, safe, diverse, nutritious, equitable, and affordable, and not contrary to the religion, beliefs, and culture of the community, to enable a healthy, active, and productive life sustainably.

Bapanas measures the food security index in Indonesian regencies based on nine main indicators, namely:

1. *Normative Consumption Production Ratio* (NCPR) or the ratio of normative per capita consumption to net production of rice, corn, sweet potatoes, and cassava, as well as regional government rice stocks;
2. Percentage of the population living below the poverty line;
3. Percentage of households with food expenditure >65% of total expenditure;
4. Percentage of households without access to electricity;
5. Percentage of households without access to clean water;
6. Life expectancy at birth;
7. Ratio of population per health worker to population density;
8. Average years of schooling for women over 15 years old; and
9. Percentage of underweight children (stunting).

These indicators are then processed into a score on a scale of 0-100. The higher the score, the better a region's food security is assumed to be.

Using this method, OKU Timur Regency achieved a score of 81.01 in 2021, the highest among the 13 regencies in South Sumatra.

OKU Timur Regency achieved a high score due to various factors, one of which is the relatively small proportion of its poor population compared to neighboring regencies.

In 2021, the percentage of the OKU Timur population living below the poverty line was 10.6%, while in most other South Sumatran regencies, the percentage reached double digits.

The food security of OKU Timur Regency is also supported by the availability of food, which is considered very good.

In 2021, OKU Timur had an NCPR ratio of 0.18. This figure indicates that OKU Timur experienced a high surplus in the production of cereals and tubers, as well as regional government rice stocks.

Meanwhile, Musi Rawas Utara Regency had the lowest food availability in South Sumatra, with an NCPR of 2.47, indicating a high deficit condition.