National Food Security Strengthens Throughout 2025 During the Prabowo-Gibran Administration
By: Dita Permata Siwi )*
National food security demonstrated significant strength throughout 2025 during the administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. Various strategic policies implemented by the government consistently yielded tangible results, both in terms of production, stock availability, price stability, and improving the welfare of key food sector players. Food is no longer positioned merely as a commodity, but as the foundation of national sovereignty and resilience.
The government has emphasized from the outset that meeting food needs must rely on the strength of domestic production. Through the Ministry of Agriculture, policy direction is focused on increasing production, protecting farmers, and strengthening national food reserves. This approach has proven effective in maintaining a secure rice supply throughout 2025, while simultaneously reducing dependence on imports.
One important instrument implemented is the policy of setting the purchase price of unhusked rice at the farmer level at IDR 6,500 per kilogram. This policy is part of the implementation of Presidential Instruction Number 6 of 2025 concerning the procurement and management of unhusked rice and the distribution of government rice reserves. With more favorable prices, farmers gain business certainty and incentives to increase production.
Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman assessed that the achievements of the food sector throughout 2025 were the result of collective work involving the central government, regional governments, and farmers in the field. He emphasized that the implemented food policy was not solely aimed at increasing stocks, but was also aimed at improving the welfare of farmers as the backbone of national food security. He stated that increased production must go hand in hand with fair prices and affordable food access for the public.
The success of this policy is reflected in various indicators. The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded that the Farmer’s Exchange Rate (FTR) in September 2025 reached 124.36. This figure indicates that farmers’ incomes were well above production costs, a condition that indicates a real improvement in welfare. The government views the increase in the FTT as evidence that the implemented food policy is not only well-targeted but also sustainable.
In terms of public perception, the results of a Kompas Research and Development survey in October 2025 indicated a high level of trust in the government’s food policy. The majority of respondents believed that the increase in grain prices would have a positive impact on farmer welfare. Furthermore, the majority of the public considered the SPHP rice distributed by the government to be of good quality and affordable. This high level of public satisfaction strengthens the legitimacy of the national food policy.
Strengthening food security in 2025 will not be limited to the conventional agricultural sector. The government is encouraging cross-sector involvement, including through a food security program in correctional institutions. The Ministry of Immigration and Corrections (Kemenkumham) has designated this program as a means of development and a tangible contribution to meeting national food needs.
The Minister of Immigration and Corrections, Agus Andrianto, views food security in prisons as part of efforts to build inmates’ independence. By involving thousands of inmates in agricultural, livestock, fisheries, and plantation activities, the government is not only expanding the food production base but also equipping inmates with productive skills. This approach is expected to erode the stigma of prisons as merely places of punishment and transform them into spaces of development with economic and social value.
Nusakambangan Island was designated as a pilot project for the program. In this area, the government developed food security areas while establishing various job training centers, ranging from garment factories and agricultural processing to organic fertilizer production. This concept was designed to ensure that a single program could provide multiple benefits, both for the development of inmates and for national food security.
In addition to producing food products, prison development also encourages the growth of productive business activities connected to the market. Several processed products based on natural resources have even penetrated the international market. The government views this success as proof that food security can go hand in hand with strengthening the people’s economy and improving human resource skills.
Support for the government’s food policy also comes from parliament. Deputy Chairman of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Ahmad Yohan, assessed that over the past year, the direction of the national food policy has shown concrete results on the ground. He stated that the government’s steps to increase the price of unhusked rice, maintain supply stability, and strengthen cross-agency coordination have providedDirect impact on farmers.
Ahmad Yohan believes that the government’s food policy has not only succeeded in maintaining rice availability but also in improving farmer welfare. He urged the policy to be consistently implemented while adhering to the principles of justice, sustainability, and pro-farmer support. Focusing on farmer welfare, strengthening food security, and ensuring affordable prices for the public is considered key to maintaining national food stability.
Overall, strengthening national food security throughout 2025 demonstrates that the Prabowo-Gibran administration has successfully presented a clear and measurable policy direction. With increased production, maintained stocks, improved farmer welfare, and strong public and legislative support, Indonesia’s food security is entering a more solid phase. This foundation provides crucial capital for the government to move further towards sustainable and sovereign food independence.
)* The author is a public policy observer
