This is the Regency with the Highest Food Security in North Sulawesi

Based on data from the National Food Agency (Bapanas), of the 11 districts in North Sulawesi Province, North Minahasa Regency has 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 per capita normative 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 the food security of a region is assumed to be.

Using this method, North Minahasa Regency achieved a score of 83.69 in 2021, the highest among its neighboring districts.

North Minahasa Regency achieved a high score due to several factors, one of which is the very good distribution of clean water.

In 2021, the percentage of households without access to clean water in North Minahasa was only 11.75%, while in neighboring districts it ranged from 19% to 54%.

Of the 11 districts in North Sulawesi Province, the districts considered vulnerable are Sangihe Islands and Siau Tagulandang Biaro Islands (Sitaro).

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

Sangihe Islands and Sitaro obtained low index scores because their NCPR ratios were both high, indicating a high deficit in the production of cereals and tubers, as well as regional government rice stocks.