“We are focused, decisive, and working concretely to make Indonesia food sovereign,” the minister said in a statement, on Monday.
Sulaiman highlighted the current global food crisis threat. According to the 2024 World Food Programme (WFP) data, over 295 million people in 53 countries are experiencing acute food insecurity, an increase from the previous year when about 2.33 billion people faced moderate to severe food insecurity.
“To address this potential threat, President Prabowo has instructed me to work all out so that our nation can achieve true food sovereignty. I immediately accelerated efforts to fulfill this national mission,” he stated.
President Prabowo Subianto has signed a decree to accelerate the establishment of food self-sufficiency zones nationwide, in line with the Asta Cita missions to strengthen food security and public welfare through enhanced agriculture, farmer empowerment, and sustainable production, targeting full self-sufficiency by 2028.
The priority commodities under the medium and long term targets include rice, corn, sugar, soybeans, sorghum, horticultural products, and potatoes.
Sulaiman emphasized that food sovereignty must be realized to reduce dependence on imports.
By the end of 2025, Indonesia is projected to have successfully reduced rice imports and even recorded a surplus of 4 million tons within the first year of President Prabowo’s administration.
According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), national rice production from January to December 2025 is projected to reach 34.77 million tons, an increase of 4.14 million tons or 13.54 percent from the previous period. As of October 2025, government rice reserves (CBP) stood at 3.9 million tons.
In addition, Sulaiman noted that this achievement reflects the collective hard work of agricultural personnel and cross-sector collaboration.
He added that simultaneous food planting programs, distribution of agricultural machinery, and the use of superior seeds serve as key foundations for maintaining productivity amid global climate challenges.
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Translator: Harianto, Kenzu
Editor: Arie Novarina
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