554 Thousand Hectare of Rice Fields Change Function, FABEM-SM Demands Land Protection

Illustration of some rice fields have been turned into housing (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Alumni Forum of the Student Executive Board and Student Senate (FABEM-SM) urges the government to tighten control over land function changes. This step is considered urgent after about 554 thousand hectares of rice fields were converted into industrial and residential areas between 2019-2024.

The data was previously conveyed by the Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency Nusron Wahid after meeting President Prabowo Subianto at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, January 28, 2026.

Deputy Chairman of the DPP FABEM Tody Ardiansyah Prabu said that protecting rice fields must be the main part of food security policies. According to Tody, increased production will not be enough if the decline in agricultural land continues.

"Food security not only concerns production, but also distribution justice, fairness to farmers, and public access to nutritious food," said Tody in a written statement received in Jakarta, Wednesday, July 29.

Both organizations assess that the government needs to strengthen the implementation of Law Number 41 of 2009 concerning Sustainable Food Agriculture Land as well as policies to control the conversion of rice fields. The arrangement of central and regional spaces is also requested to be coordinated to protect Protected Rice Fields.

FABEM appreciates President Prabowo's commitment to strengthening the people's economy and food security. However, this policy is considered to be supported by consistent governance, targeted, and based on competent human resources.

In addition to agriculture, they asked the government to strengthen fishing villages, MSMEs, and cooperatives. The support includes infrastructure development, access to financing, production facilities, and market expansion for coastal communities.

Tody also encourages the establishment of commodity villages that are capable of producing exporters. According to him, Indonesia should not continue to rely on the export of raw materials, but needs to expand processed food products, certified organic products, and commodities with added value.

FABEM assesses that strengthening agriculture, fisheries, cooperatives, MSMEs, and fishing villages must be carried out in one policy. The goal is that food security does not stop at increasing production, but also increases the income of farmers and fishermen and strengthens the regional economy.