The event in Cilebar Village was linked online to the Presidential Secretariat in Jakarta. Prabowo arrived at 11:15 a.m. local time in the locally made MV3 Garuda Limousine.
Locals, including heads of households and homemakers, lined the route to greet the president. Many captured the moment on phones, while some tried to shake his hand.
At the venue, Prabowo toured an exhibition featuring innovations in agriculture, plantations, and livestock, accompanied by Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman.
He sampled local fruits, coconut milk products, milk, and brewed coffee produced by Indonesian farmers.
The exhibition also displayed advanced agricultural technologies prepared for large-scale farmland operations, including drones, modern plows, and mechanized rice mills.
West Java Governor Dedy Mulyadi, North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution, and East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa attended the event.
Cabinet members present included Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Villages Yandri Susanto, Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, Police Chief Listyo Sigit, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, and House Commission IV Chair Titiek Soeharto.
Prabowo said the rice reserve, managed by state logistics agency Bulog, surpasses the previous records set during former President Soeharto’s era.
He credited the achievement to coordinated efforts across government agencies and said it provides a foundation for reaching national food self-sufficiency, potentially within his first year in office.
Amid global geopolitical tensions, Prabowo emphasized food independence as essential for national sovereignty.
He said the government targets self-sufficiency not only in rice but also in other carbohydrate and protein commodities.
First step to self-sufficiency
Earlier, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said rice self-sufficiency is the first step toward a broader goal: full national food self-sufficiency.
He added that the government does not want to be complacent. Despite Bulog holding the largest rice reserves in Indonesian history, authorities remain alert to potential production declines due to weather and climate.
To ensure sustainable production, the government is focusing on key factors, including fertilizer availability, improved irrigation, intensified farming, and development of seeds suited to regional conditions.
“Our hope is to maintain and even increase this. We cannot be satisfied, even though this is the first time in history Bulog holds such a large rice reserve,” Hadi said.
He added that President Prabowo has directed the government to quickly pursue self-sufficiency in other strategic commodities, including corn, onions, and protein sources.
During Tuesday’s Red and White Cabinet retreat, the president emphasized accelerating fisheries development through coastal village programs and construction of approximately 1,582 fishing vessels.
The government is also promoting freshwater fish farming, with production expected to support the National Nutrition Agency’s Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG).
“So, in addition to achieving self-sufficiency in carbohydrates, we also target protein, including eggs. Once fully operational, the MBG program aims to reach 82 million beneficiaries by May,” Hadi explained.
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Translator: Andi F, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Arie Novarina
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