Empowering Local Potential: Challenges and Opportunities in Stunting Prevention in Indonesia

Abstract

Research Aims: Empowerment of local potential is a model that aims to improve socio-economic status by utilizing resources owned by the community, both human resources (HR) and natural resources (SDA). However, empowerment based on local potential has not yet shown effectiveness, as evidenced by the poverty rate which is still quite high, namely (9.36%), as well as the problem of stunting in Indonesia, which is still above the WHO provisions, namely (21.6%). This study aims to analyze the opportunities and challenges in preventing stunting through local potential-based empowerment in Indonesia

Design/methodology/approach: The method used in this research is meta-analysis, which is based on the results of a review of various literature (literature review). The data collection technique used by researchers to obtain published articles is to use a database from Google Scholar, publish or Perish, Mendeley, Google Books, and PubMed.

Research Findings: The results obtained explain that poverty is closely related to low family income, so families cannot afford to buy or provide nutritious food, both in terms of quality and quantity. This poverty condition is a challenge in preventing stunting. However, behind the challenges, there are opportunities, namely the potential owned by the family, both in the form of human resources (HR) and natural resources (SDA).

Theoretical Contribution/Originality: Discussion through family empowerment based on local potential, families can manage existing resources, able to overcome problems, and able to find solutions to stunting problems through several stages, namely the awareness and behavior formation stage, the transformation stage of abilities and skills, and the intellectual enrichment/ability stage. The conclusion is that the management of natural resources (SDA) and human resources (HR) owned by families is one of the solutions that can improve the socio-economic welfare of families which has an impact on reducing stunting cases in Indonesia. Improving the socio-economic welfare of families is not only through empowering local potential but there must be support from internal and external sources.