Looking towards the sweet, sweet future: a political economy analysis of sugar and nutrition policy in Indonesia.

Objective: To identify politico-economic factors relating to policy surrounding the production, processing, and trade of sugar in Indonesia, and to identify strategies to support improved integration national nutrition and food security priorities with respect to sugar.

Design: This study was a qualitative policy analysis, informed by political economy and power analysis approaches, and drawing on both documentary policy data and interviews.

Setting: Indonesia.

Participants: Interviewees from various national and sub-national government, and non-government sectors, with expertise in health and food safety (n=7), finance and economics (n=2), trade and industry (n=3) and other (n=4).

Results: Sugar was articulated as a policy priority in three distinct ways: (1) sugar as an economic good; (2) sugar in relation to health and; (3) sugar as a commodity for food security. High political priority was given to national economic development, as well as concerns relating to farmer rights and welfare. Nutrition priorities and objectives to reduce sugar consumption were addressed in health policies; however, they were not reflected in production and economic policies promoting sugar.

Conclusions: Creating opportunities to diversify agricultural production and ensuring a just transition to protect the livelihoods of sugar farmers in Indonesia will be crucial in enabling achievement of nutrition priorities to reduce sugar consumption.