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The GIVE BACK TO BALI Project Aly McGuire Maastricht University

ABSTRACT

The traditional Balinese diet, known for it’s nutritious variety of fresh and indigenous products, is almost exclusively served along side a healthy portion of Balinese rice. The past three decades have been characterized by drastic changes in rice production, particularly the implementation of chemical use as introduced by the Indonesian government in the late 1980s. It became evident during Aly’s research that many Indonesians are weary of the presence of chemicals in their food and are aware of the detrimental effects on health. Participants perceive changes due to urbanization and westernization in Ubud to affecting their opportunity to access organic and traditional foods. Many eluded to the fact that the tourist dollar is driving the economy and dietary demands in the region in Ubud subsequently forcing nutritious foods to be replaced by chemically engineered ingredients that are less expensive and more widely available. The conclusions of Aly’s research found that people in Ubud are concerned about the future of nutrition and worry that the sustainability of the Balinese diet is being compromised by demand for pesticides coupled with westernized food importation.

As the world is increasingly globalized so too are the interconnected aspects of that impact population health. The emphasis for ecotoursim has been gaining momentum, now on the radar of many travelers, but there exists a lack of resources to identify how to support the movement. The GIVE BACK TO BALI project (GBBP) will be used to bring awareness to the importance of sustainability in preservation of local culture and nutritional status of the population. The innovation is a sticker to be implemented in order to provide travelers the visual cue to make responsible choices about their food purchases. Enterprises that meet the sustainability criteria will be issued the trademark sticker to advertise their dedication to population health, allowing the consumer to make the conscious decision about their money.

Qualifying criteria will encompass recommendations from Indonesian standards in ecotourism and will be in line with international guidelines in sustainability. The GBBP promises to encourage people to support the promotion of local and clean agriculture practices further leading to population health benefits and if proven successful can be the starting point for larger scale initiatives in the Balinese community and possibility on a global scale.

2. DESCRIPTION This pilot project will focus specifically on the recently popularized tourism region of Ubud on the island of Bali; Indonesia The proposed innovation is a recognizable standardized sticker that will signify an enterprise is practicing sustainable business.

Categories and Subject Descriptors Food for Health, Health Promotion, Global Health

Keywords Ecotourism, population health, nutrition, agriculture, sustainable

1. INTRODUCTION Objective: Promote ecotourism by identifying enterprises that engage in sustainable food and agricultural practices.

Background: Ubud is a region of Bali recently popularized in the media as a destination for in health. Historically people came to this once tranquil hideaway seeking refuge from the globalizing world, whose name translates literally to ‘medicine’. Now tourists flock to Ubud in hopes to achieve enlightenment through the bounty of retailers selling a commercialized ‘healthy lifestyle’.

With the traditional foods often left off the menu, Hindu temples dwarfed by fancy hotel chains, medicinal properties of nature polluted with chemicals Ubud is hardly the cultural paradise that is was once known for. The impact on the local population is multi-layered but for the purpose of this project will focus solely on the nutritional outcomes of the individuals living or working in Ubud and look to alleviate the unequal distribution of food.

Figure 1. Approximation of the sticker. a) This sticker should be made visible to potential customers to allow them to make an informed decision about their food options; a ‘let the buyer beware’ concept. The sticker will

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signify that the food products available at the establishment are meeting the Indonesian ecotourism standards.

Consumers will apt to support low-impact tourism when they are presented with the choice, particularly the typical foreigner in Ubud, as health and wellness are part of the Balinese appeal. Furthermore, the location of Ubud is an exceptional locale for the pilot project because a significant number of people travelling to this region are conscious of sustainability, health and the importance of culture preservation.

The meta-analysis of Aly’s research thesis into the factors influencing the nutritional status of people in Ubud shed light on the apparent lack of awareness of ecotourism in Bali. Many tourists are visiting Ubud for the traditional healing powers of the village, but ironically are inflicting enormous implications on the people and culture of the beautiful tourist destination.

The GBBP would enable tourists to make a conscious decision to participate in the sustainability of Bali.

A small team of Aly will be invaluable members of phase one in the pilot project as they aim to be involved at the grassroots level of the GBBP approaching potential businesses using a door-knocking strategy. The business owners will be made aware of the risks and opportunities of The GBBP. From a business perspective the advantages of having the sticker proudly displayed include, but are not limited to: free marketing, the buzz associated with the initiative, social responsibility, and the potential ink to websites viewed globally. The GBBP will symbolize the business is sustainable by either supporting local farmers, providing chemical free foods the enterprise. The criteria for the GBBP approval will be determined based on Indonesian regulations regarding ecotourism.

To reach the tourists population Aly will distribute promotional materials at the airport in Denpasar, to the tourist authorities in Ubud and also to as many guesthouses and resorts in the region as possible. Additionally, tack-up posters, advertisements in the local expat newspapers, and online recourses will also be utilized to inform visitors the meaning of the sticker in Ubud.

to the community they are enjoying. The sense of fulfillment that accompanies helping to enhance cultural integrity of the local people will be the driving factor that make the GBBP an undoubted success in Ubud.

The local population will benefit almost immediately from the project and will continue to experience positive effects of the GBBP as more and more business join the movement. This pilot project will encourage a shift to revert back to natural agricultural techniques, such as organic food production, and support of foods from local sources. The GBBP sticker will become a symbol for ecotourism; a ‘branding’ idea.

4. CONCLUDING REMARKS Ubud as a pilot project location for the GBBP sticker innovation is ingenious that the target populations, both businesses and travelers alike, are likely to be aware of the importance of ecotourism. The GBBP sticker will provide the visual cue to engage in sustainability; an initiative that many multinationals and civil society members are aligning themselves with.

As the iconic sticker gains popularity, there is hope to expand the initiative. The use of online media outlets can be a spin-off starting point from the pilot project and the move to introduce this initiative in similar settings will be considered. As ecotourism continues to gain popularity globally, the GBBP possesses tremendous opportunity for success.

Acknowledgments: The final master thesis written by Aly McGuire has provided much of the background for this innovation. The pilot project is a vision developed during the research process in Ubud.

Acknowledgment must be given to the faculty member of the Health Ethics & Society department at Maastricht University who advised the research thesis. A very special THANK YOU to the people of Ubud who made the primary research possible.

3. APPLICATION AND RESULTS The GBBP is intended to provide transparency in food production, service and availability in the Ubud region. It’s conspicuous trademark sticker aims to empower tourists to make responsible decisions about whether or not their money is indeed giving back

5. REFERENCES N/A

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