Ministry of Social Affairs Public Kitchen in West Kalimantan Produces 3,000 Food Packages per Day

LANDAK (January 11, 2024) – The Ministry of Social Affairs established a public kitchen managed by the Disaster Response Volunteer (Tagana) in Landak Regency, West Kalimantan which was hit by floods on Saturday (6/1). This public kitchen has been operating since January 9, 2023.

There are 3,000 food packages produced in this public kitchen for day and night. Until the fifth day since the flood hit on Saturday, January 6, 2024, as many as 17 Tagana personnel were alerted to anticipate the possibility of worsening weather.

 "There are 17 Tagana members involved, 7 of them from Tagana West Kalimantan province and the rest from Landak Regency. Currently, the public kitchen has produced 9,000 food packs as of 3 days running with a diverse food menu," said the Director of Social Protection for Victims of Natural Disasters (PSKBA), M. Delmi.

Delmi added the food produced was distributed to isolated areas such as Tanjung Village, Pesayangan Village, Rai Village, Pakmayam Village, and other isolated areas.

The head of Tagana West Kalimantan Province, Kamal, said that so far the problem faced in distributing the food is the bad weather.

"The rain intensity is still high and the power outage. It is quite an obstacle, but we can still face it. We use community boats and boats from the Ministry of Social Affairs in the distribution," Kamal said.

Acting Regent of Landak, Samuel said that according to the Emergency Response Decree issued, the Tagana Public Kitchen at the Ngabang Village Office will operate until the Emergency Response period ends on February 18, 2024.

In addition to establishing a public kitchen, the Ministry of Social Affairs also distributed logistical assistance through the West Kalimantan Provincial Social Service Warehouse for flood victims in Landak Regency worth Rp 301,950,000.

The assistance is in the form of 1,480 ready-to-eat food packages, 100 family kits, 160 blankets, 160 mattresses, 50 adult clothing packages, 72 kids' ware packages, and 80 roll tents.

Currently, the flood has reached a height of 1 meter in Ngabang and Kuala Behe sub-districts. The flood occurred due to the high rainfall in a week, as well as the overflowing of the Landak River. This flood has affected 11 villages.