Mother's Day Opinion: Family economy, food prices and happy mothers (PKS) 

On Mother’s Day (December 22) in Indonesia, PKS (Indonesia) op-ed writes, mothers are stuttering in carrying out their duties due to crushing economic demands.

The sharp spike in food prices affected people’s purchasing power, which means it also affected people’s consumption. At the beginning of September 2022, things became direr with the rise of fuel prices. A report published by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) supported by Bappenas entitled “Policies to Support Investment Requirements of Indonesia’s Food and Agriculture During 2020-2045“, found that 22 million Indonesians experienced chronic hunger between 2016 and 2018. This report, published in October 2019, states that there has been significant growth in the agricultural sector in recent years.

However, the report also stated that despite the growth in the sector, Indonesian people still practice traditional agricultural patterns, so they are trapped in low-paid activities. This has an impact on hunger and an increased risk of stunting in children. “Many people do not get enough food and their children are vulnerable to stunting which has kept them in this cycle of suffering for generations. From 2016 to 2018 around 22 million Indonesian people suffered from hunger,” said the report.