Indonesia’s President Prabowo Declares Food Independence as a National Priority

GORONTALO, Investortrust.id — Standing before thousands of farmers and fishermen at the 17th National Farmer and Fishermen Week (Penas) in Gorontalo on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, President Prabowo Subianto laid out his vision for a sovereign Indonesia. For a leader who spent years in the political wilderness, his message was clear: after nearly 20 months in office, the nation’s survival strategy—built on the twin pillars of food and energy self-sufficiency—is finally bearing fruit.

The stakes of this shift are profound. In an era marked by volatile global supply chains and the lingering shadows of pandemic-era shortages, Prabowo is pivoting Indonesia away from neoliberal market reliance toward a model of domestic resilience. By prioritizing the agricultural sector, the administration aims to insulate the country from the whims of international markets and ensure that the wealth of the archipelago stays within its borders for the benefit of its citizens.

"Our efforts are not immediate, but they are now becoming visible," Prabowo told the assembly. "The endeavor that is already tangible—and I mean tangible—is food self-sufficiency."

A Shift Toward Commodity Sovereignty

The President’s address reflected a pivot in how Indonesia manages its strategic assets. Citing the harsh lessons of the global pandemic, he noted that major food-producing nations often prioritize their own needs during crises, leaving developing countries vulnerable. By contrast, Indonesia is now moving into a position of strength, with surplus production in fertilizer, rice, and corn.

"Alhamdulillah, we have started to export; we are now helping other nations," Prabowo said, recounting a recent dialogue with the Prime Minister of Australia. "He thanked Indonesia for our fertilizer surplus and asked if they could purchase some from us. I said: sell it, send it to them. Many nations are asking for our fertilizer, our rice, our corn. By all means—provided the price is right."

To bolster these efforts, the President noted that his team, led by Coordinating Minister for Food and Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman, has moved to stabilize prices at the farm level. According to recent reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Indonesia’s rising rice stocks have become a stabilizing factor for global reserves, a significant reversal from the nation’s historical reliance on imports.

The Push for Energy Independence

Beyond food, Prabowo set an ambitious timeline for energy sovereignty. The administration plans to launch B50 biodiesel—a fuel blend containing 50% palm oil—as early as July 2026. This transition is expected to drastically reduce the nation’s dependence on imported diesel fuel.

"In July, just a few days from now, we will launch B50. We will process B50 diesel from 50% palm oil," he declared. "With that, we will no longer import diesel from abroad, and we will save a great deal. I estimate that in three, or at most four years, we will achieve energy self-sufficiency. We do not want to import anything for our fuel, for our energy."

A Historical Debt to the "People’s Base"

While the President’s rhetoric often touches on modern economic policy, his connection to the agricultural sector is deeply personal. As a former military officer, Prabowo frequently invokes the history of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), emphasizing that the country's early fighters relied entirely on the goodwill of farmers and fishermen for survival.

"People ask: why is Prabowo always with the farmers and fishermen?" he asked the crowd. "I explain it very simply: because I am a former soldier. Since the birth of the Indonesian military, Indonesian soldiers have always been supported and assisted by farmers and fishermen."

He recalled the early days of the Republic, when there was no state budget or formal salary for soldiers. "Those who chose the Republic of Indonesia chose it because of their hearts, because of their love for Indonesia—not because of a salary," he said. "The soldiers at that time were supported, sustained, and fed by our farmers and fishermen across Indonesia."

For Prabowo, this relationship is the foundation of his political project. He argued that the true goal of independence is the prosperity of the "little man," contrasting his philosophy with the neoliberal frameworks he encountered during his tenure as chairman of the Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI).

"I said in my heart, this is a big mistake," he said of the market-driven policies of the past. "They don’t understand the meaning of a nation. They don't understand why we wanted to be independent. What is the point of having a parliament, a regional council, or singing the national anthem if our people are not prosperous?"