Musical Drama 'Soko Tani' Encourages Students to Support National Food Self-Sufficiency
As many as 500 students attended a musical drama performance themed ‘Sovereign Indonesia Towards Food Self-Sufficiency’ staged by Teater Lingkar Semarang at the Semarang State University (Unnes) Auditorium in Gunung Pati, Semarang, on Friday (24/7/2026). The activity served as an educational space for the younger generation to foster awareness of the importance of realising national food independence and sovereignty.
Director of the Unnes AKK Directorate, Mulyo Widodo, expressed appreciation for the event. He stated that performing arts are an effective medium for conveying national messages because they can touch hearts while awakening public consciousness. He said that food self-sufficiency is a shared responsibility, not solely the government’s task, but also involving farmers, academics, students, and all elements of society. According to him, collaboration between art and national spirit will produce positive works capable of making a real contribution to the nation’s progress.
Mulyo also stressed that students, as intellectuals, have a strategic role in supporting national development. Amid various global challenges, food independence is a crucial issue that must receive collective attention. Therefore, Unnes continues to encourage students to contribute concretely in supporting the national food self-sufficiency policy.
Meanwhile, Member of Commission D of the Semarang City DPRD, Dr. H. Anang Budi Utomo, assessed that the theatre performance represented a form of student concern for strategic national issues. He noted that a nation’s ability to meet its people’s food needs is an important indicator of welfare levels. He emphasised that the spirit of food self-sufficiency must start from the smallest environment, from individuals and families to community and national life. He added that the government is currently continuing efforts to realise food self-sufficiency as a national development priority.
Unnes BEM President Septiana Linasari said that food self-sufficiency is an important agenda that must be jointly overseen as part of efforts to realise a sovereign Indonesia. She hoped the theatre performance would provide learning and positive messages for students to become more concerned about agricultural sector development and national food sovereignty.
On this occasion, Teater Lingkar Semarang performed a musical drama titled ‘Soko Tani’, which depicted the struggles of farmers in achieving a more prosperous life through fair harvest prices. The performance also highlighted the importance of the younger generation’s role in bringing innovation and technological transformation to the agricultural sector, while inviting the public to appreciate Indonesia’s natural resource potential and jointly safeguard agricultural sustainability as the foundation for achieving food self-sufficiency.