When we talk about food security, we often look straight at the farm. But true food affordability requires a systems view; one that bridges farmers, logistics, policy, and the consumer. 

On June 18, 2026, the UID Learning Hub Jakarta was alive with cross-sector energy as we hosted the Philanthropy Sharing Session #62: “Making Healthy Food Affordable from a Policy Perspective,” in close collaboration with Perhimpunan Filantropi Indonesia (PFI), Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS), and PISAgro.

This session was a testament to the thriving BEKAL Pemimpin fellows ecosystem. It was an honor to have Insan Syafaat (Executive Director of PISAgro & BEKAL Cohort 1) deliver the opening remarks, and Ibnu Auzia (BEKAL Cohort 1) inject vital ground-level truths into the panel discussion.

Highlighting the complexity of our food and land-use systems, five critical realities took center stage:

- Systems over Silos: True affordability requires systemic coherence, balancing the needs of farmers, logistics, industry, and consumers rather than favoring just one side. 

- Addressing Hidden Hunger: True security cannot be measured by calories or rice availability alone; nutrition and accessibility matter. 

- The Cost of Food Loss & Waste: Systemic inefficiencies drain an estimated IDR 400–500 trillion per year—a massive gap we must close. 

- The Future of Farming: With a projected shortage of farmers in the next 15–20 years, we must urgently make agriculture a viable, attractive livelihood for the next generation.

- Complex problems cannot be solved by one sector alone. It takes tri-sector collaboration—government, business, and civil society—to remodel our food ecosystems for a healthier, more equitable future.

Thank you to all our partners and fellows for holding the container for this vital dialogue!