Minister Of Agriculture Amran Calls Budget Efficiency Not Hampering Food Swasembada Program

JAKARTA - Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman ensured that budget efficiency would not hinder the food self-sufficiency program, which would continue to be carried out to support national food security with optimal results.

"We are used to managing limited budgets but optimal results. But, pray that the (budget) will not be reduced," said the Minister of Agriculture at the DPD RI Committee II Working Meeting at the DPD RI Jakarta Building, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, February 11.

The Minister of Agriculture gave a response regarding the budget efficiency plan in accordance with Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 1 of 2025 concerning the Efficiency of Expenditures and Implementation of the APBN and APBD for Fiscal Year 2025.

Even so, the Minister of Agriculture said that if there was a budget cut, his party ensured that the food self-sufficiency achievement program would not be hampered.

"Don't because the budget is all hampered. Whatever happens, it doesn't matter, the important thing is that self-sufficiency is achieved," he said.

In fact, according to the Minister of Agriculture, budget efficiency is nothing new at the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan).

In 2024, the Minister of Agriculture has refocused the Ministry of Agriculture's budget for priority programs in order to increase national rice production.

"We have done it first in 2024. We are refocusing Rp1.7 trillion for pumps, seeds, alsintan, oplah programs, and so on. We cut official travel, building rehabilitation, ceremonial band scissors," he explained.

The Minister of Agriculture emphasized that in the refocusing, human resources (HR) and collaboration were deployed so that the existing budget could provide results that remained optimal.

Saat itu terjadi El Nino, La Nina. Sempat shortage di awal tahun 2024. Tapi alhamdulillah, anggaran terbatas tapi kita mampu meningkat produksi secara signifikan dan menyelamatkan pangan, ungkapnya.

The Ministry of Agriculture targets national rice production to reach 32 million tons by 2025, to support the security and self-sufficiency in food targeted by President Prabowo Subianto to be achieved in 2027.

The Minister of Agriculture said that the rice production target in 2025 will increase when compared to the previous year which reached 30 million tons.

"With collaborations like this, the national production target from 30 million tons to 32 million tons by 2025, I am sure it will be achieved," said the Minister of Agriculture.