Waste not, want not
When she set out to investigate vegetable consumption trends in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic, researcher Nur Fajrina (Rina) thought the work could be helpful in ensuring future food production and security. She didn't expect to also highlight a significant health issue.
Rina is a seed research manager at East West Seed Indonesia and a Meryl Williams Fellow. The ACIAR Alumni Research Support Facility (ARSF) project funding enabled her to evaluate pandemic impacts on vegetable production and eating habits. And it has confirmed, contrary to what many might think, that Indonesians were eating fewer vegetables in 2020 than in 2019.
"Although most respondents to our survey (of 1201 households and 346 hospitality venues) believe in the health benefits of eating vegetables, almost half did not change their diet or vegetable preferences during the pandemic," Rina says. "This is consistent with reports from the Indonesian Statistic Agency that national fruit and vegetable consumption decreased by 0.64% in 2020 compared to 2019. Instead, people were taking herbal medicines to increase their immunity.
"I had expected that reduced income associated with COVID-19 and travel restrictions might have seen more people grow their own vegetables and increase their consumption of vegetables. The survey showed an increase - over 35% of respondents were cultivating their own vegetables - although sales at both the traditional central markets and supermarkets had declined."
This trend was reflected in changes reported by the hospitality industry (including hotels and restaurants), which experienced a decline in customers and occupancy. And just 30% of menu orders were for vegetable-based food.
Of course, this can have a significant impact not only on individual health but also on local economies. Over-supply can create waste and lower prices for farmers.
In a previous study, the World Food Program Country Office Indonesia found that 37.2% of children under 5 years experienced under-nutrition, known in Indonesia as "stunting". Good nutrition is closely linked to good health. Under-nutrition can be treated by increasing calories and nutrients in a child's diet, and vegetables are an excellent source of fibre, vitamins, minerals and energy.
Rina now fears that vegetable consumption could become a future food security issue in Indonesia. "It would seem that our country now needs more intensive education and strategies to promote the nutritional value of vegetables, especially to young people," she says. "We may also need to look at developing new vegetable-based foods to try to boost the consumption of vegetables, and training for young people and students on vegetable growing."
Rina has already shared her early findings with the Horticulture Seed Association and various other stakeholders, and presented virtually at the Australian Agricultural and Resources Economics Society (AARES) international conference in February.
Written by Amanda Burdon
The Alumni Research Support Facility (ARSF) was announced by ACIAR in April 2020 as a swift response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ARSF enables research projects that build resilience and respond to the challenges the pandemic has presented to agriculture systems in ACIAR partner countries. Each ARSF project is matched with an Australian collaborator who works with the ACIAR alumni to build the research team's capacity and provide mentorship and guidance where needed.
Through the ARSF program, ACIAR has been able to continue investing in global research collaborations as well as scientific and policy capacity building activities in a way that directly addresses the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The ARSF is delivering the knowledge and technologies that underpin more productive and sustainable agricultural systems and more resilient food systems, for the benefit of developing countries and Australia.