Linking food, nutrition and the environment in Indonesia: A perspective on sustainable food systems

This brief reviews and provides perspectives on some of the key nutritional and environmental problems caused by Indonesia’s food system, and discusses the interlinkages between these two sets of challenges. Special attention is given to the impact of the country’s rice-centred policy on its food security and nutrition, as well as the environment. The brief points to potential pathways for developing more sustainable food systems, and draws on the lessons of unsuccessful top-down and ‘magic bullet’ approaches to advocate for a more sustainable use of landscapes and biodiversity within food systems. Authors argue that, while a diversity of solutions is a prerequisite, special attention should be given to the ‘re-localization’ of food systems in Indonesia, a strategy that has been overlooked in national food security and nutrition policies.