The local potency in supporting food availability of farming family in pandemic times: a case study from West Nusa Tenggara Indonesia
Eka Rahayu1, Ulyatu Fitrotin1, Nurul Hilmiati1, Tri Marwati1, and Mulono2

1National Research and Innovation Agency
2University of Islam, Indragiri, Riau

Abstract

Strategies in providing food availability for farmer households during COVID-19 pandemic are very diverse. This study aims to find out the sources of availability, activities for providing food, and local food consumption patterns of farmer households during Covid-19 pandemic. This study was conducted from September 2020 to June 2021 in East Lombok, Sumbawa and Bima Regencies, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia using a survey approach. The data collection techniques were observation, Focus Group Discussion, recording, interviews with 74 respondents with a semi-structured questionnaire and study literature related to the nutritional content and bioactive compound of the dishes. The results of this study show that farmer households are utilizing potential of local food around the house during Covid-19. Farmers were obtained vegetables from rice field (RF) and backyard farming (BF) 5.12%, RF and kiosk 20.51%, BF and kiosk 35.04%, RF, BF and kiosk 20,5% and kiosk 10%. Farmers often grow vegetable crops on the paddy ridges during the rice-growing season and they are also utilizing BF for growing vegetables. For farmers who do not use their RF and BF for growing vegetables obtained vegetables from traditional markets and mobile vegetable kiosk. Types of vegetables grew in rice fields consist of chili, moringa, komak, long beans, cassava, turi, eggplant and winged bean, while the types of vegetable plants grew the BF such as chili, moringa, komak, long bean, cassava, turi, eggplant, tomato, kale, and basil. Rice with vegetable and animal protein are the main menu of farmer^s daily life. Energy source from Carbohydrate combined with vitamin C, B, D and active compounds such as quercetin, niacin, thiamine and carotene from vegetables contribute for maintaining farmer^s health during Covid-19 pandemic. This study concluded that optimizing of RF ridge and BF for growing vegetables will support the food availability in order to maintain farmer household food security durin

Keywords: rice field, backyard farming, farmer household, food security, covid-19

Topic: Agricultural Socio-Economics