Jakarta – The government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the food sector through downstreaming as a key strategy to maintain national stability. Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasized that food security is at the heart of national resilience, and agricultural development must be prioritized across sectors.
“Food security is the heart of national security. Disruptions in the food sector can directly impact the stability of the country,” Amran asserted.
In his presentation, the Minister explained that food issues should not be viewed solely as economic concerns. He stressed that misjudging the food situation could have more severe consequences than corruption.
“President Soekarno once said that the survival of a nation depends on food availability. Misreading food issues can lead to consequences even more dangerous than corruption,” he added.
As a concrete form of commitment, under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto, the government has issued seven strategic Presidential Regulations (Perpres) concerning subsidized fertilizers, grain prices, and irrigation systems. According to Amran, these policies have streamlined fertilizer distribution and improved bureaucratic efficiency.
“What used to be a bureaucratic burden on farmers has now been simplified, allowing fertilizer to be delivered directly to them,” he explained.
As a result, Indonesia’s national rice production has reached a historic high.
“This achievement didn’t happen by chance—it is the result of real commitment and government support for farmers,” Amran stated.
Appreciation came from the Governor of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas RI), Ace Hasan Syadzily, who remarked that agriculture has now become a pillar of renewed national optimism.
“The current progress in the agricultural sector is encouraging and strongly indicates that Indonesia has great potential to emerge as a global food power,” he said.
Ace also noted that with technological support and the right policies, agriculture is beginning to make a significant contribution to the national economy.
“Previously, the sector was seen as contributing little to GDP due to technological limitations. Now, agriculture is proving to be one of the country’s strategic advantages,” he emphasized.
On another front, the livestock sector has also become a focus of the government’s downstreaming efforts. Makmun, Director of Livestock Product Downstreaming at the Ministry of Agriculture’s Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health, highlighted the sector’s crucial role in food security, economic development, and rural empowerment.
“This sector plays a major role in realizing Indonesia Emas 2045 (Golden Indonesia Vision 2045),” said Makmun.
He added that the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program initiated by President Prabowo presents a strategic opportunity for the livestock industry. With immense potential in both domestic and international markets, Indonesia’s livestock exports in 2024 reached 1.35 billion USD.
“Alhamdulillah, we’re the fourth-largest poultry producer in the world,” he noted.
Through food downstreaming and the strengthening of the agriculture and livestock sectors, the government aims to ensure robust national stability while accelerating Indonesia’s vision of becoming a global food powerhouse.
