MESSAGES FROM THE 10TH COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE HELD ON 23 APRIL 2025

The 10th meeting of the Community of Practice (CoP) on Effecting Integration of Nutrition into Extension and Advisory Services (EAS) was convened by RASSEA on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in partnership with Puan Tani, a civil society Organization dedicated to empowering female farmers across various regions of Indonesia. Puan Tani is a member of both RASSEA and IFRAS. The meeting addressed the theme, “The Daily Reality of Village Communities in the Production and Consumption of Nutritious Food.” The agenda featured two volunteers, Ms. Ratih Purwasih (from Citorek Kidul Village, Lebak, Banten) and Ms. Dahria Achmad (from Nabire, Central Papua). Dr. Siti Amanah opened the CoP meeting by briefly explaining the background and objectives of the CoP, and Ms. Lani Eugenia of Puan Tani chaired the sharing session. Attendees included members of the RASSEA team, the board of Puan Tani, representatives from IFRAS, delegates from the Indonesian Association of Development Extension Experts (PAPPI), community nutrition experts, extension workers from several regions in Indonesia, academics, researchers, students, and youth representatives (Figure 1). The focus of the discussion within the CoP emphasized how the initiatives and movements of women, in collaboration with rural communities, address family nutritional needs.

Summary of Interactive Dialogue at the 10th CoP Meeting

• Ms. Ratih Purwasih mentioned that in Citorek Kidul Village, where most people work as farmers, carbohydrates are obtained independently by planting local rice varieties. Rice is planted once a year, and after harvesting, the rice fields are converted into ponds for carp farming. Subsequently, these ponds are used to grow horticultural crops.             
• The main challenge in fulfilling nutritional intake in Citorek Kidul Village is the lack of community literacy regarding nutrition. The sustainable food yard (P2L) program and the stunting campaign have been quite successful in raising public awareness about balanced nutritional intake and efforts to achieve it independently. After the P2L program ended, the local community attempted to meet their nutritional needs independently by growing vegetables in their yards, but they faced obstacles due to limited space. Ratih provided an example of how to fulfill family nutrition independently by growing vegetables and fruits on idle land. Currently, public awareness of balanced nutritional intake is beginning to increase.
• Ms. Dahria Achmad, from Nabire, Papua, shared her experience of meeting the nutritional needs of the community, which includes Indigenous Papuans (OAP) and Non-OAP. For carbohydrates, both OAP and Non-OAP cultivate their own crops, while vegetables, fruits, and proteins are occasionally sourced independently and sometimes purchased from the market.
• Local communities are susceptible to various nutritional issues and non-communicable diseases because of their low nutritional status. Moreover, cultural factors significantly affect nutritional status, particularly among native Papuans.
• Community Nutrition Expert Dr. Clara Meliyanti Kusharto shares her experience using catfish as a reliable source of protein and proposes a replica of a successful livestock distribution system to enhance nutrition and livelihoods. One of her innovations, Clarias biscuits, made from catfish flour, can be used to prevent stunting because they are rich in both macro and micronutrients.

The CoP meeting was further enlivened by an icebreaker that involved guessing songs related to women and Kartini Day, aimed at appreciating women’s struggles in family and society. Kartini Day is celebrated on April 21 each year in Indonesia to honor the efforts of Kartini, the daughter of a Regent in Jepara, Central Java, for her role in the emancipation of women. 

Follow-up and Recommendations

The government must be more proactive in organizing various activities to raise public awareness about nutrition. This can be achieved by providing incentives or special affirmations, ranging from the production phase to household consumption. Strengthening nutrition-sensitive extension services must be prioritized, as extension workers are the primary agents at the community level. These workers can be trained and developed to enhance their capacity to perform their duties and functions effectively. The roles of self-help extension workers, government extension workers, and private extension workers should collaborate directly or through effective communication media to improve households’ ability to meet their food and nutrition needs appropriately. This collaboration is crucial for enhancing the quality of human resources, particularly considering that the prevalence of stunting in childrenremains exist in Indonesia (as shown in Figure 2).

A sustainable food and agriculture system is essential. In this context, all elements of society must be involved, including women (both in female farmers’ groups and other community groups), who should have access to opportunities, particularly for accessing and utilizing appropriate agricultural information and innovations that align with local needs and resource conditions. Women are strategically raising public awareness and implementing diverse, nutritious, balanced, and safe food production and consumption (B2SA).