Jayapura (ANTARA) - The Papua government, through the local agriculture and food government agencies, is intensively distributing food reserve assistance in nine cities and districts to reduce the stunting rate in the areas, which are also known as Bumi Cenderawasih (Land of the Bird-of-Paradise).

The government has continued to make efforts to reduce the stunting rate by providing assistance in the form of food reserves such as rice and several other basic necessities, head of the Papua Province Agriculture and Food Agency, Samuel Siriwa, said in Jayapura on Monday.

"So, in 2023, the Papua provincial government, through the agriculture and food agency, will prepare 39.99 tons of food reserve rice," he informed.

According to Siriwa, his agency has distributed food to several districts and regions that have submitted requests for rice assistance.

"We have distributed rice to several districts, such as during the visit of the acting governor of Papua to Sarmi, 1.45 tons, then Supiori 2.65 tons, then Yapen 5.21 tons, and Waropen 2 tons," he expounded.

He explained that food distribution for other districts will take place this week so that handling of stunting can be made faster.

"We are allocating this assistance to families who are at risk of stunting and are considered incapable," he said.

He added that based on data from the Indonesian Nutrition Status Survey (SSGI) from the Ministry of Health, in 2022, stunting incidence increased in Papua to 34.6 percent from 29.5 percent in 2021 (counting 29 districts/cities).

"We hope that stunting in Papua can decrease, especially since this is part of the acting governor of Papua's priority program," he said.   

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