By: Dewi Lestari Puteri *)
Protein self-sufficiency now occupies a central position as a key pillar of national food security and symbolizes the country’s commitment to building equitable food independence. The government has firmly directed the national food agenda beyond simply ensuring carbohydrate sufficiency, but also moving beyond it by ensuring the availability of sufficient, affordable, and sustainable animal protein for all. This step reflects the vision of comprehensive food development, which places the quality of public nutrition as the primary foundation for Indonesia’s human resource development.
Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan emphasized that protein self-sufficiency is a strategic continuation of the achievement of rice self-sufficiency. The government views the food sector as a noble sector because it directly impacts the lives of the wider community, particularly farmers, livestock breeders, and fishermen, who are the backbone of the people’s economy. Therefore, the development of fishing villages, the development of biofloc cultivation, and the strengthening of national livestock farming are being implemented in a planned manner as a manifestation of the state’s commitment to community food stakeholders and an effort to strengthen national food security.
The narrative of protein self-sufficiency is also in line with Indonesia’s broader human development agenda. The government-initiated Free Nutritious Meal Program is concrete evidence that the state is present to guarantee the people’s basic right to nutritious food. Targeting more than 82 million beneficiaries, this program requires a strong and stable supply of animal protein. The government views this need as a strategic opportunity to strengthen domestic production, making protein self-sufficiency a crucial instrument in creating a healthy, intelligent, and productive generation of Indonesians.
Within this framework, the Ministry of Agriculture is encouraging the acceleration of integrated chicken farming downstreaming from upstream to downstream. This policy is designed to serve as a foundation for sustainable and equitable protein self-sufficiency. Agung Suganda, Director General of Animal Husbandry and Animal Health, emphasized that developing an integrated national poultry ecosystem is a strategic step to ensure the national supply of chicken meat and eggs remains secure, stable, and pro-smallholder farmers.
Concrete state support is reflected in the involvement of the Danantara Investment Management Agency, which is channeling large-scale investment to strengthen the national livestock ecosystem. Danantara CEO Rosan P. Roeslani stated that food downstreaming, including integrated chicken farming, is a national priority, in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s directives. This investment is positioned as a key lever for Indonesia to have an independent, modern, and highly competitive animal protein industry, while simultaneously meeting long-term national needs.
Strengthening protein self-sufficiency is not only oriented towards increased production, but also towards equitable distribution and the welfare of smallholder entrepreneurs. The government is opening access to large-scale People’s Business Credit (Kredit Usaha Rakyat) financing for livestock farmers and cooperatives, including through the Red and White Village Cooperative scheme. This step reinforces the state’s commitment to empowering smallholder livestock farmers to integrate into the modern supply chain and obtain equitable economic benefits from food sector development.
On the downstream side, the role of state-owned food enterprises (SOEs) is a crucial part of the grand strategy for protein self-sufficiency. PT Indonesia Food (ID Food), with Gimoyo as its President Director, is mandated as the offtaker, absorbing the production of smallholder livestock farmers. The presence of SOEs as a market buffer strengthens price stability and provides business certainty, allowing livestock farmers to focus on increasing productivity without worrying about market fluctuations. This synergy between the government, SOEs, and livestock farmers demonstrates the state’s active role in maintaining national food security.
Protein self-sufficiency also has broad economic and social impacts. The increase in national chicken and egg production is projected to create millions of new jobs and significantly increase livestock farmers’ incomes. Furthermore, adequate animal protein is believed to accelerate the reduction of stunting and poverty rates, transforming food policy into a policy for sustainable human development.
In addition to chicken farming, the government is also encouraging diversification of protein sources by strengthening the fisheries sector and community-based aquaculture. The development of fishing villages and the use of aquaculture technologies such as biofloc are part of the national strategy to ensure protein self-sufficiency does not rely on a single commodity. By maximizing maritime potential and local resources, Indonesia is affirming its identity as an agricultural and maritime nation with sovereignty over its own food.
Overall, self-sufficiencyProtein affirms a new direction for national food security that is not only robust in terms of production but also equitable and sustainable. Consistent policies, strategic investment support, the strengthening of the role of state-owned food enterprises, and the active involvement of smallholder farmers and fishermen form a solid national ecosystem. The cross-sectoral synergy established today demonstrates that protein self-sufficiency is not merely a technical agenda, but rather a national strategy to ensure the availability of nutritious food, strengthen the people’s economy, and prepare a healthy, superior, and competitive generation for Indonesia in the future.
*) The author is a Food Policy Observer