Deputy Minister Warns Uncontrolled Rice Field Conversion Threatens National Food Security
Wakil Menteri Agraria dan Tata Ruang/Badan Pertanahan Nasional (ATR BPN) Ossy Dermawan has stated that the practice of converting rice fields to non-agricultural use remains uncontrolled. This is considered a threat to national food security.
“Controlling land conversion is extremely urgent, because conversion, especially of rice fields to non-agricultural land, is increasing. It is not only happening in Central Java, but in other regions across Indonesia,” Ossy said during an event on controlling agricultural food land conversion in Semarang on Thursday.
He added that rice fields are often converted for industrial, housing, and other needs. Ossy stressed that protecting rice fields does not mean rejecting development.
“Our task is to ensure that development proceeds in an orderly, fair, and measured manner, without sacrificing the foundations of our food security,” Ossy said.
In Central Java, for example, based on ATR/BPN data, the province’s protected rice field area in 2021 reached 1,018,107 hectares. However, currently 1,831 hectares of that have been converted, mostly for housing, industrial, and livestock needs. The largest portions are industry and housing, each exceeding 500 hectares.
Ossy explained that there is now Presidential Regulation Number 12 of 2025 concerning the National Medium-Term Development Plan. “It has been stated there that the percentage of raw rice field land designated as sustainable food agricultural land is targeted to reach 87 percent by 2029. This means that once it becomes LP2B, in the Minister’s words, it is ‘sawah forever’,” he said.
According to Ossy, when raw rice field land is not designated as LP2B, its protection becomes weak. “That is what leads to uncontrolled land conversion. Therefore, LP2B must be understood as a protection instrument,” he said.
“By designating raw rice field land as LP2B, the state sends a message that this LP2B land is no ordinary land. LP2B is strategic land for food, for farmers, and for our national food future,” Ossy added.