Interregional Synergy, Cirebon City Government Encourages Distribution Efficiency Through the Food Gapura Program

CIREBON, Controversy news, Com.- The Cirebon City Government through the Food Security, Agriculture and Fisheries Service (DKP3) officially launched the Socialization of the Cirebon Mayor’s Regulations on Facilitating Food Distribution and the Food Gapura Program, a strategic step to strengthen food security and economic stability in urban areas that have limited agricultural land. The Gapura Pangan initiative was also born from the spirit of change and concern for economic stability and food security in the city of Cirebon.

The launch event was attended by the Acting Regional Secretary of Cirebon City, Sumanto, who expressed his high appreciation to DKP3 and the entire team who had designed this change project with a spirit of collaboration and innovation.

“On behalf of the Cirebon City Government, I express my highest appreciation to the Head of DKP3 and the entire effective team, for their dedication and hard work in presenting concrete solutions to the challenges of food distribution in this city,” he said, Tuesday (11/11/2025).

Sumanto emphasized that the limited agricultural land in Cirebon City, which is only around 93 hectares of raw rice fields, makes this area dependent on food supplies from outside the region for up to 95 percent. These conditions require a distribution strategy that is not only efficient, but also structured and sustainable.

Through the newly established Mayor’s Regulation, the Cirebon City Government now has a strong legal basis to ensure sustainability, accountability and integration in managing food distribution.

Apart from that, the City Government is also encouraging contractual synergy between cross-regional food business actors, through cooperation between farmer groups in producing areas with local distributors and BUMDs, in the form of Inter-Regional Cooperation (KAD) for strategic commodities such as rice, shallots, chilies, purebred chicken meat and eggs.

“We have signed a Cooperation Agreement (PKS) between farmer groups from producing areas and Warung Peduli Inflasi (Waduli) Cirebon City. This is a concrete step in building a Business to Business-based food distribution system that is adaptive and fair,” explained Sumanto.

He advised that the synergy between DKP3, the Economic Division, Perumda Pasar, as well as data support from BPS and BI must run optimally.

“With solid cooperation, we can ensure the availability of stable supplies and affordable prices for the community,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of DKP3 Cirebon City, Elmi Masruroh, explained that the name Gapura Pangan’s philosophy describes a gateway for collaboration between regions to maintain food availability for the community.

Furthermore, Elmi explained that Gapura Pangan is not just a program, but a breakthrough strategy to reduce Cirebon City’s dependence on food supplies from outside the region. In its implementation, the government acts as a facilitator and policy director, while business actors and cooperatives become the driving force in strengthening the distribution chain.

“Through Gapura Pangan, food distribution from producers to consumers will be closer and more efficient. This collaboration will bridge producer farmers with urban communities through the Waduli network and the Red and White Cooperative,” he said.

He hopes that sub-district cooperatives can act as main distributors of various food commodities such as rice, eggs, meat, vegetables and chilies, so that prices are more stable and affordable for residents.

“Let’s make Gapura Pangan a gateway to urban food independence,” he said.

(Laugh)