Lack of Rice, not Lack of Food

Last week I had duty to go to Kupang, West Nusa Tenggara (NTT). The first story I want to tell is about a very common stereotype for NTT. I think we often hear that NTT is a dry region and it has a longer dry season than rainy. Drought is a dominant condition every year. In my simple conclusion, drought is usually accompanied by lack of food. Is it right?

The main food in NTT is originally from corn, they call bose corn. The taste is yummy, really, I do like it. And the supplements are sayur asam kacang merah and 'kate' meat. They have eaten for a long time ago.

But, there was a government failure. Since Central Government brought rice to this region (mostly via market operation and other policies), rice became another main food beside corn.

In NTT, corn is in everywhere. When Indonesia get a lack of rice (and must be lack of food), NTT can avoid it because they eat corn.