Top 10 Regencies in Papua with the Highest Food Security

Based on data from the National Food Agency (Bapanas), of the 28 districts in Papua Province in 2021, Mimika Regency had the highest food security.

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, both in 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 districts 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, Mimika Regency achieved a score of 80.55 in 2021, the highest among its neighboring districts.

Mimika Regency achieved a high score due to several factors, one of which is the relatively good availability of staple foods.

In 2021, Mimika had an NCPR ratio of 0.71. This figure reflects a moderate surplus in the production of cereals and tubers, as well as regional government rice stocks.

Mimika's population also has a very good life expectancy, namely 72.36 years. This is the highest life expectancy compared to neighboring districts, which generally range from 55 to 70 years.

As for Sarmi, Biak Numfor, Waropen, Kep. Yapen, and Asmat Regencies, although they are among the top 10 highest-scoring districts in Papua Province, these five districts are categorized as vulnerable areas.

A district is considered vulnerable to food insecurity if it scores below 59.98 on the index.

Sarmi, Biak Numfor, Waropen, Kep. Yapen, and Asmat Regencies obtained low index scores because their NCPR ratio is above 1, indicating a deficit in the availability of staple foods.

The population in these five districts also generally lacks access to clean water, lacks access to electricity, and has a relatively low level of education.