Nearly 30% of Maluku's Population Suffers from Calorie Deficiency

Not all Indonesian people have balanced caloric intake and sufficient food access. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that in 2019, 29.06% of the population in Maluku still had a caloric intake below the minimum caloric intake level, namely 1,400 kcal/capita/day. This also indicates that more than a quarter of the Maluku population does not have the ability to access sufficient food.

Similar problems are also found in other regions. The percentage of North Maluku residents with below-minimum caloric intake is 27.95%, Papua 25.43%, West Papua 20.65%, and East Nusa Tenggara 15.73%. The national average minimum caloric intake is 8.47%.

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The minimum caloric intake according to BPS is the level of energy consumption that is 70% of the recommended figure (70% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of 2,100 kcal). This indicator aims to measure the size of the population with very low energy consumption, thus requiring priority improvements in food and nutrition.

According to the World Bank, the problem of food access in Indonesia, especially among vulnerable and poor groups, is not only about availability but also affordability. Food problems can only be solved by paying attention to the entire supply chain, from farmers to consumers.