YSI Holds Critical Discussion on Food and Climate Change as Part of the 2027–2032 Strategic Planning Process

As Yayasan SHEEP Indonesia (YSI) entered the process of developing its Strategic Plan (Renstra) for 2027–2032 as a continuation of the 2022–2027 Strategic Plan, YSI invited all staff to participate in a discussion entitled “Understanding Food Issues in Indonesia in the Context of Climate Change.” The discussion was part of YSI’s efforts to understand changes in the external context and identify issues that need to be considered in determining the organization’s future strategic direction.

Local Food Systems in the Context of Climate Change

The discussion featured Prof. Taryono, an academic and plant breeder, who discussed the interconnection between climate change, food, water, agriculture, and the sustainability of local food resources. The discussion also related to YSI’s experience in developing local food systems in various program areas.

During the discussion, Prof. Taryono introduced the perspective of sustainable food self-reliance. He distinguished this concept from food self-sufficiency, which tends to focus on achieving sufficient production of specific commodities.

“Food self-sufficiency is based on a single commodity, while food self-reliance is based on diverse commodities.”

Food Diversity and Local Potential

This perspective positioned food diversity as an important element in building food self-reliance. Local food was not viewed merely as an alternative, but as a resource that could be developed according to the potential and conditions of each area.

Prof. Taryono also emphasized the importance of considering environmental conditions when developing food commodities. According to him, commodity development needs to take land suitability into account to ensure sustainable production.

“The development of a commodity must consider land suitability.”

Protecting Local Food Genetic Resources

The discussion became increasingly relevant when linked to the impacts of climate change on water availability, agricultural productivity, and the sustainability of food resources. Each area has different environmental conditions and food potential. Therefore, food development needs to consider local characteristics, including water availability, land suitability, and the genetic resources available within communities.

The discussion also addressed the importance of preserving local varieties and ensuring seed availability. Various food varieties that have been developed and maintained by communities were considered genetic resources that need to be conserved and further developed. In this context, the ideas of seed banks and gene banks emerged as relevant approaches to maintaining the sustainability of local food resources.

For YSI, these discussions were directly relevant to its program experience in various areas, including local food development through farmer field schools, community groups, and production houses. YSI also identified opportunities to further develop collaboration in the conservation and development of local genetic resources so that community-based food initiatives can be sustained over time.

The discussion became one of YSI’s reflection points as it entered the review and development process for the 2027–2032 Strategic Plan. The perspectives gained from the discussion were expected to help YSI understand changes in the external context, sharpen strategic issues, and formulate an organizational direction that remains relevant to community needs and environmental conditions.