KFI and ICONS Advocate for the Establishment of a Food Fortification Coordination Forum in South Sulawesi

Makassar, August 26, 2024

 

At the Swiss-Bell Hotel Makassar, the Indonesian Nutrition Foundation for Food Fortification or KFI, in collaboration with the International Center of Nutrition Studies (ICONS), Hasanuddin University, held a dissemination and socialization event on various policies supporting the food fortification program. This event was aimed to introduce the National Food Fortification Coordination Forum as established by the Decree of the Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas KEP.19/M.PPN/HK/03/2024, as well as the District Head Regulation of Enrekang related to the Supervision of Production and Control of Iodized Salt Distribution (the District Head Regulation Number 139/2023), and the Universal Salt Iodization (USI) Action Plan. The event was conducted in a hybrid format; 23 participants attending in person from various agencies from South Sulawesi Province and Enrekang Regency, and 81 participants joining virtually from 23 other districts/cities in South Sulawesi Province.

 

In addition to introducing the National Food Fortification Coordination Forum, led by the Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas, this meeting also addressed the need to establish a similar forum at the district level. Such a forum would serve as a platform for coordination and consultation to strengthen food fortification efforts in achieving 90% Universal Salt Iodization (USI). This aligns with one of the outcomes from the Workshop on Efforts to Achieve Universal Salt Iodization in June 2023 in Makassar. During that workshop, Enrekang and Majene committed to increasing household coverage in accessing quality iodized salt.

In her remarks, KFI Director Dra. Nina Sardjunani, MA, highlighted the often-overlooked importance of salt, emphasizing its critical role in developing intelligent and superior human resources. She also emphasized that the lack of iodine in salt available on the market could lead to a recurring public health problem, similar to the problems experienced in Indonesia in the 1980s

KFI, in collaboration with ICONS at Hasanuddin University, is assisting the Enrekang Regency Government in achieving USI; this support includes drafting the regent's regulations, developing an action plan to achieve USI, and implementing monitoring and evaluation processes to assess the execution of these measures.

 

 

The KFI Director expressed appreciation to the Enrekang Regency Government for issuing District Head Regulation No. 139 of 2023 on the Supervision of Production and Control of Iodized Salt Distribution within the Enrekang Regency. The drafting of this regulations involved a comprehensive process, including situational analysis, problem identification, focus group discussions, and harmonization. The regulation will be complemented by an Action Plan for its implementation, as well as a Monitoring and Evaluation System

 

The event also featured Ms. Diah Lenggogeni, ST, Director of Health and Nutrition at BAPPENAS, who participated virtually. During her presentation on the National Food Fortification Coordination Forum, she encouraged stakeholders to actively engage in strengthening efforts to fortify iodized salt and enhance food quality in Indonesia, particularly through the forums established in the regions, especially in South Sulawesi. This invitation was positively received by the Regional Development Planning and Research Agency (Bappelitbangda) of South Sulawesi Province, Ms. Ristati Rahayu conveyed that this initiative aligns with the South Sulawesi Provincial Government's commitment to supporting the achievement of food and nutrition security targets through the issuance of South Sulawesi Governor's Decree No. 1277/VIII/2023 on the Establishment of the Regional Action Plan for Food and Nutrition Coordination Forum in South Sulawesi Province. This decree has led to the creation of the 2023-2024 Provincial Food and Nutrition Action Plan Document, which encompasses integrated cross-sector policies, programs, and activities designed to address food and nutrition issues.

The event also featured several expert speakers, including Prof. Dr. Drajat Martianto, M.Si., who addressed the introduction of food fortification and related issues; Mr. Idrus Jusat, Ph.D., who discussed KFI's recommendations on long-term LSFF strategic policies; Prof. Dr. Venny Hadju, MSc. Ph.D., who analyzed the implementation of iodized salt in Enrekang Regency; and Mr. Mursalim, representing Dr. Baba SE MM, Acting Regent of Enrekang, who shared insights on regional government commitments through Regent Regulations to achieve USI. Additionally, KFI and ICONS, represented by Dr. Sunarno and Mr. Saifullah, presented materials related to lessons learned from regional government commitments in drafting the USI Action Plan, Coordination Forum, and Monitoring of the District Head Regulation implementation in Enrekang Regency. The presentation and discussion sessions were moderated by Prof. Dr. Abdul Razak Thaha.

At the end of the session, KFI Director Dra. Nina Sardjunani, MA, presented a Summary and Follow-Up Actions, including the establishment of a Regional Iodized Salt Surveillance Coordination Forum/Team, an Action Plan for the implementation of the Regent Regulation, a Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism for iodized salt in markets and households, strengthening laboratory testing facilities, providing KIO3, training, and audit/reporting mechanisms for business operators, and enhancing public education.

Through this event, KFI and ICONS hope that Enrekang Regency's success in implementing iodized salt policies can serve as a model for other regions in achieving USI. The Enrekang Regency Government is also prepared to share experiences with other regions interested in implementing similar measures.