The Minister of Defense (Menhan) Prabowo Subianto at the Global Food Security event on the sidelines of the G20 2022 Bali Summit emphasized that food availability is a vital thing to maintain when the world's population continues to grow very rapidly. Prabowo noted, since Barack Obama first took office as President of the United States (US) in 2009, the world's population has increased by one billion people. "Just a dozen years after reaching 7 billion (total world citizens), the earth's population is likely to surpass 8 billion people around mid-November. That is an estimate based on the UN's demographic projections," Prabowo said, Wednesday (11/16/2022). The increase in this number has increased rapidly compared to previous periods. In the past, Prabowo said, it took 300,000 years since Homo Sapiens appeared for the world's population to reach 1 billion people. "It was around 1804, the year when morphine was discovered, when Haiti declared independence from France, and when Beethoven first performed his Third Symphony in Vienna (Austria)," said Prabowo. However, he asserted, the increase in the world's population which has soared extraordinarily is actually faced with food challenges. One of them is called because of the existence of a group of elite politicians who often corrupt the food trade. Responding to this problem, Prabowo said, Indonesia plays a strategic role in maintaining food availability. This is supported by the existence of 23 million hectares (ha) of fertile land in the archipelago, 120 million ha of tropical forests, a stable climate and the potential to grow throughout the year. Then, 325 million ha of sea area, 23 million ha of protected sea area which increased to 30 million ha, up to 60% of global trade passes through Indonesia. In response to world food security (global food security), Indonesia is also the world's top palm oil producing country, with a production of 42 million metric tons (MT) per year. Then, it becomes the world's number 5 cassava producing country with 18 million MT per year, the world's number 2 capture fisheries producer with 7 million MT per year, mandir rice production of 33 million MT per year, to the world's number 1 seaweed growth with 10 million MT per year. "Indonesia is also the Co-Chair of the UN Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy & Financial Security. Indonesia also currently holds the G20 Presidency which promotes world food security," said Prabowo.
Previously, President Joko Widodo or Jokowi opened the G20 Summit. He immediately warned about the crisis which has the potential to get worse next year, the impact of fertilizer scarcity. He opened the highest head of state forum with a discussion on the unfinished crisis. In fact, it is considered possible to continue in the future. One thing that was emphasized was the supply of food and fertilizer in various countries. "Don't underestimate the problem of fertilizer. If we don't immediately take steps to ensure sufficient availability of fertilizer at an affordable price, then 2023 will be a more dismal year," he said at the opening of the Bali G20 Summit, Tuesday (11/15/2022). According to Jokowi, with the stagnant supply of fertilizer, it will affect the food supply. This means that there will also be a food crisis as a follow-up impact. "The current high food prices can get worse into a crisis of no food supply," he said. "Scarcity of fertilizer can lead to crop failure in various parts of the world. 48 developing countries with the highest level of food insecurity will face very serious conditions," he said.
President Joko Widodo or Jokowi officially opened the first day of the G20 Summit. He reminded that the crisis that hit the world is not over. Heads of state are known to sit at the front of a room with tables arranged in a circle. From the monitoring screen, Jokowi was accompanied by a number of ministers. Those closest to him are Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi on the right, and Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati on the left. Jokowi opened the G20 Summit after greeting a number of heads of state who attended. The hammer knocking of the session hammer 5 times was heard as a symbol of the opening of the highest economic forum. "Welcome to Bali, welcome to Indonesia. It is an honor for Indonesia to host the G20 Summit," he said at the opening, Tuesday (11/15/2022). "I agree all the extraordinary efforts for us to sit together in this room," he added. According to Liputan6.com's observations, previously Jokowi welcomed a number of heads of state and leaders of international organizations before entering the room. He began greeting with a handshake and a brief conversation.
