By: Ricky Rinaldi
The government’s commitment to achieving food self-sufficiency has once again been reaffirmed by President Prabowo Subianto as a fundamental pillar of national sovereignty. For the President, food security and independence are not merely short-term agendas or five-year political targets, but a strategic foundation to ensure that the nation stands on its own capabilities in facing increasingly uncertain global dynamics. On various occasions, the President has emphasized that a nation unable to meet its own food needs will always be in a vulnerable position, both economically and geopolitically.
This reaffirmation comes amid increasingly complex global challenges, ranging from interstate conflicts and disruptions to supply chains to climate change that directly affects global food production. The President views these global conditions as a strong warning that dependence on food imports cannot serve as a long-term solution. Therefore, the direction of national food policy is focused on strengthening domestic production, increasing agricultural productivity, and ensuring the sustainability of the food ecosystem from upstream to downstream.
President Prabowo positions food self-sufficiency as part of the broader vision of national self-reliance that has long been the common thread of the government’s strategic policies. Within this framework, the food sector is placed on par with defense and energy as a main pillar of national resilience. This approach marks a paradigm shift from short-term food stabilization policies toward the development of a robust, integrated, and long-term-oriented national food system.
In line with the President’s direction, the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, has accelerated various programs to increase national food production. Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman has consistently conveyed that efforts toward self-sufficiency do not rely solely on land expansion, but also on optimizing technology, modernizing production tools, and strengthening the role of farmers as the main actors in agricultural development. The government believes that the success of food self-sufficiency must be measured by farmers’ ability to sustainably improve both productivity and welfare.
In recent months, agricultural policy has focused on strategic commodities such as rice, corn, and other staple food products. The government has intensified agricultural intensification and extensification programs, including the optimization of swamp land and idle land that has not been fully utilized. This step is seen as a realistic strategy to increase national production without massive land clearing that could potentially harm the environment.
Beyond increasing production, the government has also paid serious attention to strengthening national food reserves. President Prabowo views food reserves as a strategic state instrument for maintaining price stability and food availability amid global fluctuations. In this context, the role of the State Logistics Agency (BULOG) has been strengthened to ensure optimal absorption of farmers’ harvests while keeping national food stocks in a secure condition.
Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman believes that the food self-sufficiency policy promoted by the President cannot be separated from efforts to improve distribution governance and supply chains. The government recognizes that food issues do not end with production alone, but also involve distribution efficiency and public access to affordable food. Therefore, improving supporting infrastructure, including irrigation and post-harvest facilities, remains a key policy priority.
From a broader perspective, food self-sufficiency is also seen as an instrument of diplomacy and Indonesia’s bargaining position on the international stage. President Prabowo believes that a country with strong food resilience will have greater room to maneuver in facing global pressures. When many countries are experiencing food crises and import dependence, Indonesia’s ability to meet its own food needs serves as tangible proof of national sovereignty, not merely political rhetoric.
This approach also responds to criticisms that often regard food self-sufficiency as a slogan that is difficult to realize. The government emphasizes that current food policies are formulated based on data, projections of national needs, and comprehensive evaluations of past experiences. As such, food self-sufficiency is no longer understood as a symbolic target, but as a gradual process that requires consistent cross-sectoral and long-term policies.
The Ministry of Agriculture has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the President’s policy direction is translated concretely on the ground. Synergy with regional governments, the involvement of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) in agricultural assistance, and collaboration with the private sector continue to be strengthened to ensure the effective implementation of self-sufficiency programs. The government also encourages farmer regeneration and the use of digital technology as part of the national agricultural transformation.
Within this policy framework, food self-sufficiency is no longer positioned as a short-term ambition laden with political interests, but as a strategic national agenda. President Prabowo places success in the food sector as a benchmark of genuine national independence, where the state is able to protect its people from global crises and ensure sustainable development.
Ultimately, the narrative of food self-sufficiency built by the government affirms that national sovereignty is not measured solely by defense strength or political stability, but also by the ability to meet the basic needs of its people. In President Prabowo’s view, food is a tangible symbol of sovereignty, and success in achieving it is proof that the state is truly present—not merely through promises and political targets.
