Appreciation of Community Elements Initiating the Indonesian Planting Movement Program to Support Food Self-Sufficiency Targets
By: Bara Winatha )*
In an effort to achieve national food independence, the contribution of various elements of society is an important force that strengthens the government’s strategic program. One form of this participation is manifested in the Indonesian Planting Movement (Gerina), a collaborative initiative initiated by a Muslim cleric and intellectual, Ustadz Adi Hidayat (UAH) and has received wide appreciation from the government, including President Prabowo Subianto.
The Gerina Movement is a symbol of synergy between society and the state in realizing food self-sufficiency as the foundation of national resilience. UAH said that this initiative began with an in-depth discussion with the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Chairman of the Bulog Supervisory Board, Sudaryono, in early January 2025. He considered that clerics, religious figures, and the wider community needed to participate in supporting the strategic program of national food security.
This initial step developed into a concrete idea. After receiving technical direction from the Ministry of Agriculture, Adi Hidayat communicated with his colleagues from among clerics throughout Indonesia, from Aceh to Papua, to formulate a joint movement. The result is Gerina, a program that aims to instill collective awareness about the importance of planting as a real form of community contribution to food security.
At the launch of Gerina in Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra, President Prabowo Subianto appreciated the role of the community in supporting government programs. He considered that this kind of collaboration is a real form of integration between community innovation and state policy. The President highlighted that no country can survive without sufficient and independent food. Therefore, community support in the form of a movement like Gerina is very important to ensure that Indonesia is able to realize national food security.
Deputy for Protocol, Press, and Media of the Presidential Secretariat, Yusuf Permana, said that Gerina is one of the strategic steps in strengthening national food self-sufficiency. This program not only invites the community to plant, but also raises the spirit of mutual cooperation in processing, growing, and harvesting food crops in their respective environments. According to him, the involvement of all levels of society in a program like this reflects the spirit of independence and resilience of the nation in facing the global food crisis.
Participatory models like Gerina must continue to be encouraged and facilitated so that they can grow and reach other regions. This movement has succeeded in opening up a broad collaboration space between civil society and the government, where innovation from below can be used as a sustainable national model. Support for technology, research, and government policies are key factors so that movements like Gerina can be replicated on a national scale.
Meanwhile, the Head of the NasDem Party Faction Group (Kapoksi) of Commission IV of the DPR, Sulaeman L Hamzah, supports all food self-sufficiency programs, including movements that originate from community initiatives. He believes that Indonesia must strengthen domestic production and reduce dependence on imported food ingredients, such as rice.
According to him, the great potential such as that in Merauke Regency, South Papua, needs to be optimized to support this great mission. He emphasized the importance of the involvement of indigenous communities and the protection of historical sites in the development of large-scale agricultural projects such as the 1 million hectare rice field program in Merauke. For him, the synergy between development and preservation of cultural values is an integral part of the sustainable development strategy.
Furthermore, Sulaeman emphasized that the role of the DPR is to bridge community aspirations with national policies, including in terms of food self-sufficiency. He fully supports the steps taken by the Ministry of Agriculture to assign local governments to go directly to the field in order to socialize and involve the community. He hopes that programs like Gerina can be an inspiration for the people of South Papua and other regions in developing their agricultural potential.
Gerina also introduced a new approach to farming through two flagship programs, namely Si Opung and Si Cepot. Si Opung is a floating rice processing solution that allows planting on ponds or water areas, while Si Cepot is a quick harvest solution via pots that can be applied by urban communities or those who do not have large agricultural land. Through this approach, Gerina opens up space for anyone to participate in planting, both in villages and in cities.
This innovation reflects that food security is not only the task of farmers and the government, but is a shared responsibility. From religious leaders, community leaders, to ordinary families in urban areas, all have a role in maintaining the sustainability of Indonesian food. Gerina is present as an inclusive forum thatg bridges government policies and public awareness in maintaining food sovereignty.
Appreciation of Gerina reflects the importance of the role of the community in supporting sustainable national strategic programs. Collaboration between the government, religious figures, the legislature, and the wider community is the main pillar in realizing the ideals of food self-sufficiency that have been initiated by President Prabowo Subianto. With the spirit of togetherness and innovation, Indonesia can move towards a more independent and sovereign future in the food sector.
)* Social and community observer
