He opined that the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, and the United States’ involvement in it, poses a serious threat to the stability of Indonesia’s food security.
This situation, he said, requires a quick and strategic policy response from the government.
“The war in the Middle East has become a global crisis that also threatens the stability of domestic food prices,” he pointed out in Jakarta on Monday.
According to Rosihan, the conflict could trigger a spike in global crude oil prices, which once reached US$93 per barrel.
He further said that if crude oil prices increase significantly, food distribution and farming costs would rise, and transportation would be disrupted. This could double the burden on Indonesian farmers, he added.
The increase, he said, could also prompt a decline in the people’s purchasing power, push up the poverty rate, and cause nutritional and health problems, especially among children.
He noted that a food crisis could also trigger dissatisfaction and social unrest, or even lead to protests or looting. Indonesia recorded the third-highest hunger rate in ASEAN in 2020.
“This condition reflected that our national food system is still very vulnerable to global shocks,” he said.
To this end, he called for the acceleration of the energy transition in the agricultural sector as a solution to build food security.
In addition, he highlighted the importance of strengthening local food downstreaming—namely, the processing of raw agricultural products into processed goods with high added value — which could increase the income of farmers and business players.
Related news: Jakarta Geopolitical Forum to discuss Hormuz closure, energy impact
Related news: President Prabowo to open Jakarta Forum 2025 on energy and security
Related news: Navigating investment map amid Iran-Israel war
Translator: Bagus Ahmad, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
