By: Rivka Mayangsari)*
Entering the first year of their leadership, President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka have demonstrated a strong commitment to realizing national food security and sovereignty as a guarantee of a decent life for the future—for the next generation. The government’s efforts in this sector are seen as successful in strengthening the foundations of a people-centered economy, maintaining food price stability, and laying the groundwork for youth productivity, especially in a global climate full of uncertainty.
Professor Abdul Haris Fatgehipon of Jakarta State University (UNJ) observes that throughout President Prabowo’s first year in office, there has been a consistent focus on food sovereignty. He believes food sovereignty is a non-negotiable prerequisite for any nation that wishes to be truly independent and respected on the global stage. A nation, he explains, commands dignity when its people do not rely on other countries to feed them.
Professor Haris applauds President Prabowo’s collaborative strategy of involving the public, local governments, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), the military (TNI), police (Polri), and even the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) to strengthen national food production. He argues that food sovereignty cannot be built by technical ministries alone—it must become a cross-sector national movement.
He further emphasizes the need for Indonesia to reconnect with its identity as an agrarian and maritime nation. According to him, Prabowo’s policies—such as increasing the agricultural budget, raising the government purchase price of unhusked rice (gabah) to IDR 6,500 per kilogram in 2025, and expanding fertilizer subsidies (now accessible with only an ID card instead of the previously required Farmer Card)—are concrete, pro-farmer actions.
Additionally, Haris views Presidential Instruction No. 3 of 2025, which places all agricultural extension workers under the Ministry of Agriculture as central government employees, as a move that will accelerate farmer support and ensure more effective agricultural outreach in the field. He also highlights the fast-tracked development of 48 dams and nine new irrigation networks, designated as National Strategic Projects (PSN), as clear evidence of the government’s seriousness in strengthening agricultural infrastructure.
Haris also stresses the importance of developing local food sources such as sago, corn, and tubers, especially considering that not all regions are suitable for rice cultivation. He notes that sago and tubers have high ecological and nutritional value, and they hold potential as regional flagship commodities in support of national food security.
The success in the food sector has also been acknowledged by analysts. Political communication expert Hendri Satrio noted that farmer satisfaction with government policies reached 84% during the first year of the Prabowo-Gibran administration. He considers the increase in the Government Purchase Price (HPP) for harvested dry grain from IDR 5,500 to IDR 6,500 per kilogram a strategic policy that directly improves farmer welfare.
Hendri explained that national food production this year is estimated to reach 35.6 million tons. President Prabowo has even shared his grand vision at the United Nations forum of turning Indonesia into a global food barn.
Support for food self-sufficiency also comes from the national fertilizer industry. President Director of PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero), Rahmad Pribadi, stated that during the first year of the Prabowo-Gibran administration, his company successfully improved the governance of subsidized fertilizers, thanks to the government’s strategic reforms. He explained that the government had implemented major reforms through Presidential Regulation No. 6 of 2025 and Minister of Agriculture Regulation No. 15 of 2025, which streamlined 145 regulations related to fertilizer subsidies. These reforms, Rahmad said, have made the fertilizer distribution chain more efficient and accountable.
Rahmad noted that these two regulations also brought significant change by establishing four fertilizer handover points at the levels of retailers, cooperatives, farmer groups (gapoktan), and fish-farming groups (pokdakan). This, he said, is tangible proof of the Prabowo-Gibran administration’s seriousness in ensuring efficiency, transparency, and farmer welfare.
He added that, thanks to full government support, the distribution of subsidized fertilizers began on time for the first time in history, starting on January 1, 2025. As of October 19, 2025, Pupuk Indonesia had distributed 6.14 million tons of subsidized fertilizers, or about 64% of the national allocation of 9.55 million tons. This achievement represents a 10% increase from the same period in 2024 and a 23% jump from 2023.
Rahmad believes that the smooth fertilizer distribution and other food-related policies have significantly boosted national agricultural productivity. This aligns with President Prabowo’s statement at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he declared 2025 as a historical milestone for Indonesia, having achieved its highest-ever rice production and national food reserves.
One year into the Prabowo-Gibran administration, it has become clear that food sovereignty is no longer just an aspiration—it is a reality in the making. Through a combination of strategic policies, cross-sector synergy, and national spirit, Indonesia now stands stronger as it enters a new era of sustainable food security, stable prices, and growing public prosperity.
*) Economic Affairs Observer