By: Alga Setiawan )*
The government has announced a food sovereignty target by the end of 2025 as a commitment to ensuring every Indonesian household has access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food without excessive reliance on imports. Food sovereignty is not merely self-sufficiency in a single commodity, but rather the ability to manage the food system from upstream to downstream based on regional potential, consumption culture, and the competitiveness of farmers, fishermen, and livestock breeders. With this approach, the government positions local food producers as the primary actors, while public policies are directed at reducing the gap between production and public consumption needs.
Efforts towards food sovereignty are emphasized through strengthening production at the upstream level. The government is encouraging increased agricultural productivity through irrigation improvements, the provision of superior seeds, and the use of environmentally friendly cultivation technologies. Meanwhile, fertilizer distribution is being directed towards more targeted targets, with updated farmer data and a transparent distribution mechanism. Controlling land conversion and protecting strategic food areas are also a focus, to prevent further loss of fertile land. This strategy is expected to maintain production continuity and reduce price volatility at the consumer level.
Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan stated that food sovereignty is a current government priority to reduce imports. He commended the National Police (Polri), the central government, and regional governments for their consistent synergy in assisting farmers, providing agricultural tools and machinery (alsintan), and encouraging technology-based agricultural modernization. He emphasized that concrete steps include structuring trade systems, strengthening food reserves, and expanding access to financing to increase farmer production and maintain stable prices. The government is also encouraging the digitization of the upstream-to-downstream supply chain to ensure more efficient and transparent distribution, down to the village level.
Diversification is a crucial pillar for reducing dependence on specific commodities. The government is promoting local foods such as sago, corn, sorghum, tubers, and horticultural commodities to enrich the choice of carbohydrate, protein, and micronutrient sources. Nutrition education programs in schools and communities are being strengthened to ensure a more diverse and balanced consumption pattern. At the same time, the development of freshwater fish farming, coastal fisheries, and smallholder livestock farming continues to be encouraged, with biosecurity and animal welfare standards in place, to ensure more equitable and affordable animal protein sources in various regions.
Strengthening food reserves and trade systems is a key step in maintaining price stability. The government is restructuring the role of government logistics and food reserve institutions to absorb food during peak harvest times and intervene when supplies run low. Warehouses, village food barns, and cold storage logistics centers are being encouraged to minimize post-harvest losses. Improvements to the supply-demand data system are being implemented so that import policies are complementary, measurable, and do not negatively impact farmers’ prices. With more precise information, the government can anticipate price fluctuations before they have a widespread impact on public purchasing power.
Okta Kumala Dewi, a member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), stated that the downstreaming of local food needs to be strengthened to generate added value domestically. MSMEs are encouraged to process agricultural products into ready-to-eat, healthy, and shelf-stable products, while simultaneously expanding markets through e-commerce and modern retail networks. Quality standardization, food safety certification, and packaging training are part of the support. When supply chains are more efficient and local products compete in terms of quality, consumers will have more affordable choices. In turn, producer welfare will improve and food security will be strengthened.
Digital transformation is a key driver of acceleration. Land, production, and distribution data are integrated into a single command map, facilitating decision-making. Digital platforms facilitate access to capital, agricultural insurance, and the purchase of inputs, with a clear transaction track record. Marketing applications enable farmers to negotiate fairer prices and connect directly with large buyers, cooperatives, or processing industries. With data transparency and rapid information flow, supply chains become more responsive to weather changes, logistical disruptions, or surges in demand.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono stated that social protection policies in the food sector are also being strengthened to ensure vulnerable groups are not left behind. Food assistance programs, nutritional support for pregnant women, toddlers, and students, as well as price interventions for certain commodities, are aligned with production policies. This approach ensures maintained access to nutrition while also providingMarket signals drive sustainable production. Collaboration across ministries, regional governments, universities, and civil society organizations is optimized so that programs do not operate in isolation but rather reinforce each other from the central government down to the villages.
At the local level, food sovereignty is realized through the corporatization of farmers, the strengthening of cooperatives, and equitable partnerships with industry. Each region is encouraged to map superior commodities, develop food clusters, and improve the connectivity of production roads to markets. This area-based approach creates space for innovation, from precision agriculture and water-efficient irrigation to the use of renewable energy for processing. As local ecosystems grow, food sovereignty is no longer just a national target but becomes a vibrant, collective movement within communities.
Food sovereignty by the end of 2025 is a target that requires disciplined execution and broad participation. The government balances the interests of producers and consumers, maintaining price stability without weakening production incentives. With increased production, efficient distribution, strong reserves, and healthy markets, food sovereignty forms the foundation of a shock-resistant economy. Furthermore, food sovereignty embodies national independence: we manage our own food, value the work of farmers, fishermen, and livestock breeders, and ensure that future generations grow up healthy and empowered.
)* Food Security Management Professional