Makassar: The City with the Highest Food Security in South Sulawesi

Of the three cities in South Sulawesi Province, Makassar has the highest food security.

This is evident from a report by the National Food Agency (Bapanas) entitled *Food Security and Vulnerability Map 2022 (2021 Indicator Data)*.

Referring 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, both in quantity and quality, safe, diverse, nutritious, equitable, and affordable, and not contrary to the religion, beliefs, and culture of the community, to be able to live healthy, active, and productive lives sustainably.

Bapanas measures the food security index in Indonesian cities based on eight main indicators, namely:

1. Percentage of the population living below the poverty line;
2. Percentage of households with a food expenditure proportion >65% of total expenditure;
3. Percentage of households without access to electricity;
4. Percentage of households without access to clean water;
5. Life expectancy at birth;
6. Ratio of population per health worker to population density;
7. Average years of schooling for women over 15 years old; and
8. 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 city's food security is assumed to be.

Using this method, Makassar achieved a score of 83.86 in 2021, the best compared to its neighboring cities.

Makassar's food security is supported by various factors, one of which is the very good distribution of clean water.

In 2021, the percentage of Makassar households without access to clean water was only 1.26%. Meanwhile, in Palopo City it was 5.02%, and in Parepare City 7.76%.

Then, the life expectancy of Makassar residents was recorded as the highest, reaching 72.13 years, while the population of Parepare City was 71.31 years, and Palopo City 70.92 years.

Makassar also has a relatively low prevalence of stunting compared to other cities in South Sulawesi.

In 2021, the percentage of underweight children in Makassar experiencing stunting or growth retardation reached 18.8%. Meanwhile, the prevalence of stunting in Parepare City was 24.8%, and in Palopo City 28.5%.