The Food Estate Program is a critical component of Indonesia’s strategy to achieve food security, reduce dependency on imports, and mitigate the impact of global disruptions such as climate change. Originally launched under President Joko Widodo, the program aims to enhance agricultural productivity by developing large-scale farming areas, focusing on commodities like rice, maize, cassava, and sugarcane. With the recent election of Prabowo Subianto as Indonesia’s new president, the continuation and expansion of the program raise important questions about sustainability, environmental management, and policy alignment.
This article will explore the Food Estate Program’s progress and challenges, focusing on how the Prabowo administration intends to advance the initiative in a more sustainable way while addressing environmental concerns.
The Food Estate Program: An Overview
The Food Estate initiative emerged in 2020 as part of Indonesia’s response to food insecurity exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program seeks to create agricultural hubs across regions such as Central Kalimantan, North Sumatra, and East Nusa Tenggara by allocating large tracts of land for commercial food production. The idea is to improve yields through modern farming methods and infrastructure investments, with the ultimate goal of achieving food self-sufficiency and reducing reliance on volatile global markets (Observer, 2024).
However, despite these ambitions, the program has encountered criticism for issues such as poor planning, environmental degradation, and inadequate productivity. Reports suggest that converting peatlands for agricultural purposes has caused ecological damage, threatening biodiversity and Indigenous territories (Eco-Business, 2024).
Sustainability Challenges and Environmental Concerns
A key criticism of the Food Estate Program has been its impact on Indonesia’s fragile ecosystems, especially the draining of peatlands for farming. This has raised concerns among environmental organizations, as such actions can accelerate deforestation, contribute to carbon emissions, and increase the risk of forest fires. Activists worry that the expansion of the program under President Prabowo could exacerbate these problems if sustainability measures are not implemented rigorously (Eco-Business, 2024).
In response to these concerns, the new administration has promised to adopt more sustainable practices. According to Prabowo’s advisory team, future developments will focus on already degraded land in regions like Kalimantan, avoiding sensitive areas such as Papua. The goal is to reduce deforestation while boosting agricultural productivity through “intensification”—enhancing the yield of existing farmland instead of expanding into new areas (Eco-Business, 2024).
Policy Continuity and Adaptations under President Prabowo
The continuation of the Food Estate Program is central to Prabowo’s broader vision for national food security. As part of his administration’s economic agenda, the government has committed to allocating substantial financial resources to support food and agricultural programs, with approximately IDR 124.4 trillion earmarked for food security initiatives by 2025 (Tempo, 2024).
Prabowo’s strategy aims not only to expand the area under cultivation but also to integrate modern technologies and improve farming techniques. Emphasis will be placed on business models that ensure profitability and sustainability, making the program more resilient to market fluctuations. This aligns with his administration’s desire to transform Indonesia into a global agricultural hub by reducing dependence on imports and increasing exports of key commodities (Observer, 2024).
Governance and Anti-Corruption Measures
An essential component of the Prabowo administration’s strategy is improved governance. Prabowo has signaled a hard stance on illegal deforestation and corruption, which have hindered sustainable agricultural development in the past. The administration plans to implement stricter monitoring mechanisms, including early warning systems for forest fires, and will explore legislative options similar to Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act to hold offenders accountable (Eco-Business, 2024).
In addition, Prabowo’s team has highlighted the importance of ensuring that the benefits of the program reach local communities, especially smallholder farmers. By focusing on equitable land distribution and farmer welfare, the administration hopes to avoid past mistakes where large-scale projects primarily benefited corporations at the expense of local populations (Tempo, 2024).
Conclusion
The Food Estate Program represents both an opportunity and a challenge for Indonesia’s future. While the initiative aims to secure food self-sufficiency and boost economic growth, it must balance these goals with environmental sustainability and social equity. Under President Prabowo, the program will continue, with adjustments to ensure that it aligns with sustainability principles and addresses the shortcomings of previous efforts.
By focusing on intensifying agricultural productivity on existing farmland, promoting better governance, and adopting stricter environmental standards, the Prabowo administration seeks to turn the Food Estate Program into a cornerstone of Indonesia’s food security strategy. However, the success of these efforts will depend on effective policy implementation, continuous stakeholder engagement, and a commitment to sustainable development.
