Agriculture Minister Amran Leads Reforms to Accelerate Value Addition in Agriculture and Drive National Economic Growth
Indonesia’s ambitious vision to achieve food sovereignty and national economic growth increasingly depends on bold systemic reforms and strengthening value addition in the agricultural sector.
Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasised that courageous leadership in dismantling outdated regulations forms the essential foundation for national self-reliance. During an address in Makassar on Friday, Minister Amran highlighted the successful deregulation of 145 subsidy rules governing fertilisers, which are now considerably more efficient and transparent.
This transformation has proven capable of reducing costs by up to 20 per cent and increasing supply volume by 700,000 tonnes without straining the state budget.
However, systemic reforms upstream alone are insufficient; Indonesia’s economic future critically depends on how effectively natural wealth is managed through downstream value addition. Minister Amran highlighted the substantial potential of the coconut commodity, valued at an estimated Rp5,000 trillion as global consumption trends shift towards plant-based milk.
Similar opportunities exist for gambier and crude palm oil (CPO), where Indonesia controls a significant share of global supply. By ceasing raw material exports and focusing on domestic processing, Indonesia is projected to capture added value worth tens of thousands of trillions of rupiah, directly benefiting public welfare.
This spirit of national transformation has been translated into concrete targets at regional level, as demonstrated by Kuningan Regency Government in West Java.
Recognising its role as the granary of eastern West Java, Kuningan is targeting a 10 per cent increase in rice surplus by 2026 from the previous year’s achievement.
The Head of Kuningan’s Food Security and Agriculture Office, Wahyu Hidayah, emphasised that data-driven work and farmer protection are non-negotiable priorities in facing climate challenges and increasingly complex market price fluctuations.
Performance consistency in Kuningan is maintained through a disciplined leadership regeneration strategy at field level. Primary focus is directed towards optimising additional planted areas and strengthening irrigation management to ensure regional food supply stability.
Wahyu believes that the 120,000-tonne surplus recorded in 2025 can continue to increase if commitment to food security does not waver, notwithstanding changes in bureaucratic structural positions.