On Friday, September 19, 2025, Yayasan SHEEP Indonesia together with the Seusegat Community-Based Organization (OMB) held a local food campaign at SD 21 Madobag. The event was attended by 61 participants, consisting of 15 teachers, 9 OMB members, 35 students, and 3 YSI staff.

The event was motivated by the increasing presence of instant and processed food in Siberut, which has pushed local food aside. In fact, local food contains natural nutrients and is free from preservatives. Therefore, the younger generation needs to be encouraged to love, recognize, and preserve local food that is rooted in traditional wisdom and local culture.

During the session, OMB Seusegat members guided students to understand local food by explaining its definition, types, benefits, and the importance of supporting the local food movement. The explanation was interspersed with an interactive quiz that helped students recall key points. Three students won the quiz. To keep the atmosphere lively, the organizers also held an ice-breaking session before moving on to a drawing competition about local food.

The students’ artwork was assessed by a panel of judges from SD 21 Madobag. The drawings depicted various types of daily local food, such as subbet (taro), sago worms, kapurut (sago cooked with sago leaves), bananas, taro, sago trees, and sago cooked in bamboo. The activity concluded with a communal meal featuring local food menus, including taro (subbet), sago kapurut, and boiled bananas.

This effort to introduce and promote local food was also part of the wider local food campaign for students. Teachers and students were provided with additional references to encourage their support for the movement. One teacher emphasized this commitment by encouraging students to bring local food as their daily school lunch. “We want to implement a rule that requires students to bring local food to school to build awareness,” the teacher stated.

The event not only added new knowledge but also fostered love for local food culture. Students learned that local foods such as sago kapurut, boiled cassava, boiled bananas, and taro are highly nutritious and beneficial for health. They were also encouraged to reduce their dependence on instant food. Moving forward, the school committed to promoting local food consumption and developing a demonstration garden. Through this, students would be able to learn directly from practice while strengthening their awareness to preserve and appreciate local food.