The Impact of the Covid-19‘s Economic Recession on Food Security in Indonesia

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the impact of the economic recession due to COVID-19 on 4 aspects of food security (availability, accessibility, stability, and food utilization) in Indonesia. The time-series data (2000-2018) of the Food Agriculture Organization’s statistics were used in this study. The regression equations were analyzed using the Ordinary Least Square estimation technique. The final step was to simulate the impact of COVID-19 on four aspects of food security. COVID-19 had a detrimental impact on Indonesia’s food security. The availability, accessibility, and food stability are aspects of food security that are significantly affected by the COVID-19‘s economic recession, while food utilization is not affected by this pandemic. The worst impact magnitude of COVID-19‘s economic recession was on food stability so that the government needed to increase the implementation of food diversification policies in the future. Also, the government should actively be involved in preventing the increase of the protectionism mainstreaming in the international trade of staple food because it will worsen the food stability in Indonesia as a food importer country.