JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto reminded the public of the dangers of import dependence amid the ongoing global conflict.
The President said that domestic food supplies could be threatened if Indonesia was too dependent on imports from countries that were experiencing geopolitical tensions.
"Now, Thailand and Cambodia are at war. After the war, negotiations, ceasefires, peace, then it erupted again. In such a situation, imagine, is it safe for us to depend on imports from a country in conflict?" he said in the New Year Briefing in Hambalang, Bogor, reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, January 6.
In previous years, said the President, Indonesia often imported rice from both countries to meet domestic needs.
However, the prolonged conflict between Thailand and Cambodia has the potential to disrupt the rice supply chain if import dependence continues.
In addition, President Prabowo also reminded the bitter experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, when a number of food exporting countries closed their export taps to secure their respective domestic needs.
This condition makes many countries, including Indonesia, have difficulty importing food even though they have financial capabilities.
Therefore, President Prabowo emphasized that the food self-sufficiency target implemented by the government today is very appropriate and relevant to anticipate global uncertainties.
He said the food sovereignty was part of a national transformation strategy that was written, measurable, and based on long-term studies to strengthen national independence.
"The Indonesian nation must be independent. The Indonesian nation must be self-sufficient, and the main element is food self-sufficiency. No nation is free if it cannot guarantee food for the people," said the President.
Prabowo said Indonesia had been able to avoid such risks after successfully achieving food self-sufficiency last year.
This, continued President Prabowo, is evidenced by the amount of government rice reserves at around 30 million tons as of December 31, 2025.
"And I also feel quite humbled, proud, today the rice reserves in the warehouses of the Indonesian government are the highest in the history of the establishment of Indonesia," he said.
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