Minister Of Agriculture Amran's Determination To Pursue Food Self-Sufficiency: All Days Of Being 'Black Dead'

Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman in the simultaneous inauguration of the Alumni Family Association (IKA) of Hasanuddin University (Unhas) 2025-2029, in Makassar, South Sulawesi. BETWEEN/HO-Humas Ministry of Agriculture

MAKASSAR - Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasized that all working days within the Ministry of Agriculture are considered black dates' or without holidays, in order to accelerate the achievement of food self-sufficiency and strengthening national resilience.

Amran said President Prabowo Subianto asked to accelerate the target of food self-sufficiency from four years to three years until it was finally compacted to one year.

"With this short target, we don't have a red date, all black dates," Amran said in the simultaneous inauguration of the Alumni Family Association (IKA) of Hasanuddin University (Unhas) 2025 , 2029, in Makassar, as stated in a statement received in Jakarta, Antara, Sunday, November 16.

He considered the challenge to be a momentum to show the capacity of the Indonesian agricultural sector. According to him, the President gave aggressive and concrete targets, and the Ministry of Agriculture chose to work first before speaking.

"The president is extraordinary. He asked us to be ready in one year. We are not used to telling stories before acting, we usually work first and talk," he said.

Amran said that Indonesia was on the right track to self-sufficiency, marked by a surge in national food production recognized by a number of international institutions.

He said Indonesia's agricultural sector has now received world attention, as indicated by the visit of agricultural ministers of developed countries who want to learn Indonesia's strategy.

"The Japanese Minister of Agriculture has never come to Indonesia, but this year they have come to ask about a strategy to increase our food production. Not only Japan, but other countries' ministers have arrived," Amran said.

He emphasized that global trust was not born from rhetoric, but real work and consistency in the field. He also admitted that he routinely tested his team's discipline and capacity.

"Without facts, it is impossible for us to convince anyone. I see for myself that they are on time, are working seriously, and are ready to penetrate the target," he said.

Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), national rice production throughout January "December 2025 is estimated to reach 34.77 million tons, an increase of 4.14 million tons or 13.54 percent compared to the same period in 2024.

FAO is said to have the potential to jump into the second largest food producer in the world after Brazil. In addition, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also predicts that Indonesia's rice production will increase even before the planting season begins.

"Research institutions in America (USDA) have predicted our rice production to increase before we plant it. Let's find out their research method, it's amazing," he said.

On that occasion, Amran, who is also the General Chair of IKA Unhas, invited all Unhas alumnus to take a strategic role in national development.

Come on all Unhas alumni. Get around the world. Prepare their next generation, train and assist them. Agriculture is Indonesia's future, and we hold an important key to achieving it," Amran said.