Government Takes Several Strategic Steps to Achieve Food Self-Sufficiency
By: Angga Alvian)*
Food self-sufficiency is one of the government’s main focuses to realize sustainable national resilience. With global challenges such as climate change, population growth, and limited agricultural land, the government has adopted various strategic steps to increase food production and reduce dependence on imports.
The Minister of Agriculture (Mentan), Andi Amran Sulaiman, emphasized that this program is a major government plan to strengthen the agricultural sector. One of the main strategic steps is to increase agricultural productivity through the modernization of agricultural tools and machinery (alsintan). The Ministry of Agriculture has distributed thousands of tractors, harvesters, and water pumps to farmers in various regions. The Ministry of Agriculture is also focusing on revitalizing previously unproductive idle land. The Ministry of Agriculture is working with local governments to identify potential land that can be used for agriculture. By the end of 2024, more than 500 thousand hectares of idle land have been optimized for planting rice, corn, and soybeans.
Meanwhile, irrigation management also receives special attention. Through the irrigation network rehabilitation program, more than 2 million hectares of agricultural land now have more stable access to water. This program is a solution to the problem of drought that often threatens harvests during the dry season.
Collaboration between the government, farmers, and the private sector is key to realizing food self-sufficiency. Through the Corporate Farming program, large companies are invited to partner with farmer groups in integrated land management. This program provides access to technology, funding, and markets for small farmers.
The government is also expanding the People’s Business Credit (KUR) scheme with low interest to support farmer financing. By January 2025, more than 1 million farmers have benefited from this program. Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Maman Abdurrahman said the KUR scheme provides wider financial access for small farmers so that they can increase productivity and welfare. This program not only helps the agricultural sector, but also drives the rural economy as a whole. By strengthening this access to capital, farmers can be more independent and involved in a modern agribusiness system.
In addition, the government is also strengthening the mentoring system for farmers to ensure that they can optimally utilize the KUR program. Through collaboration with financial institutions and agricultural extension workers, farmers are given training on financial management, the use of agricultural technology, and harvest marketing strategies. This step aims to prevent bad debts while improving the quality of agricultural products.
The government realizes that achieving food self-sufficiency requires a long-term commitment. In addition to strengthening agricultural infrastructure, the government has also increased the budget allocation for research and development in this sector. Research on plant adaptation to climate change is a priority, given the significant impact of extreme weather on crop yields.
Head of the Agricultural Extension and Human Resources Development Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, Idha Widi Arsanti said that this food self-sufficiency program also has a major impact on the national economy. This program can also save the country’s foreign exchange, namely by reducing food imports. Moreover, food self-sufficiency creates new jobs and strengthens the welfare of rural communities.
With various strategic steps that have been taken, the government is optimistic that it can achieve food self-sufficiency in the next few years. Challenges such as climate change and fluctuations in global food prices cannot be avoided, but through synergy between all parties, Indonesia has a great opportunity to become the world’s food barn.
The government’s commitment to achieving food self-sufficiency is expected to not only meet domestic needs, but also strengthen Indonesia’s position in the international market as a reliable food producer. With close cooperation between the government, private sector, and community, the future of Indonesia’s food security looks increasingly bright.
)* Postgraduate student living in Tangerang