President asks agriculture minister to diversify food

"The diversification is aimed at reducing Indonesia`s dependence on rice as a source of carbohydrate," the president said when awarding letters of appreciation for national food security to 156 people at the state palace here on Thursday.

Noodle has successfully replaced rice as a source of carbohydrate, he said, hoping that the food made of local maize, cassava, sago palm and others could be further developed in the future.

"Please make the new foodstuffs in a contest and provide the winners with a token of appreciation, medal, and prize prize providing the people like them very much," he said.