Implementing Household Food Security: A Perspective of Religion Leader on the Gender Roles as a Agent of Change

Abstract

Building household food security requires collaboration from all levels of society, including men, women, and community leaders. In this case, the role of religious leaders is considered crucial to promote gender equality in order to realize this goal. This study analyzes the perception of religious leaders in West Lombok Regency regarding the role of gender in household food security and its relationship with demographic characteristics, internal and external factors. The research method was conducted by interviewing 60 respondents in three sub-districts (Narmada, Gerung, and Batulayar) using questionnaires, complemented by in-depth interviews with key informants. The collected data was then analyzed with descriptive statistics and a Spearman rating correlation test. The findings of the study show that most religious leaders agree on the importance of gender equality in terms of food availability, such as in rice and non-rice production activities. However, for the aspect of access and utilization of food, they argue that the role of women is still more dominant and that is considered appropriate. The study also revealed that the perceptions of religious leaders are closely related to their access to information. Therefore, to realize an ideal household food security where responsibilities are shared equally between men and women, efforts are needed to increase access to information for religious leaders.