Open Discussion: DBS Indonesia Reveals Efforts to Maintain Food Sovereignty

Maintaining food sovereignty amid global uncertainties is crucial. Deputy for Food and Agriculture Business Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Food, Widiastuti, stated that food security faces several challenges such as extreme climate change, ongoing geopolitical conflicts, and global supply chains. “In some aspects, there may already be improvements, but others remain unresolved and directly impact the food sector. For instance, global food price data has become increasingly volatile, the state budget burden is heavier, and inter-country dependencies can also increase,” Widiastuti explained during the Coffee Morning “Securing Indonesia Food Sovereignty through Value Chain and Financing Amid Global Disruption” at Hotel Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday (28/4/2026). Therefore, Widiastuti emphasised that food sovereignty is very important. According to her, this is what Indonesia needs to follow up on to make it a real necessity. “Because we know that what we are preparing now is how our food resilience. Last year, in 2025, rice self-sufficiency was achieved, but this does not stop at just rice self-sufficiency. It does not stop in 2025 alone with the existing geopolitical conditions and quite extreme climate. This is what we must address,” Widiastuti clarified. Meanwhile, President Director of Bank DBS Indonesia, Lim Chu Chong, highlighted that global disruptions increasingly affirm the importance of strengthening supply chain resilience. According to him, building resilience against future shocks can be done through diversifying supply sources and target markets. “This energy dynamic creates logistical and supply chain challenges. Rising fuel prices increase transportation costs, which impact domestic and international competitiveness. Currency volatility, particularly the current Rupiah depreciation, also adds complexity in navigating the existing issues,” Chu Chong stated. According to him, diversifying supply sources and markets, as well as appropriate financing support, are key to facing these uncertainties. In this context, Bank DBS Indonesia positions itself as a trusted partner in supporting the ESG transition through integrated sustainable financing solutions, providing various solutions such as supply chain financing and structured trade financing to help business actors strengthen business resilience while increasing competitiveness in the global market. “DBS’s expertise lies in navigating the complexity of dynamic markets, by providing tailored solutions to meet the unique and evolving needs of our clients,” he said. Bank DBS has also been recognised as Asia’s safest bank for 17 consecutive years. During that period, stability has always been a priority for Bank DBS Indonesia even as the world is hit by uncertainties. Strengthening the Agricultural Sector Meanwhile, Director General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities at the Ministry of Agriculture, Andi Nur Alamsyah, stated that the government is very serious about food self-sufficiency. According to him, this is not something done suddenly, but something that has been planned with several steps, such as deregulating many Government Regulations and Presidential Regulations. “Our current agricultural foundation is exceptionally strong, especially for fertiliser. In addition, there is also budget allocation for subsidies, so our farmers are ensured to be safe,” Andi asserted. On the other hand, Andi also did not deny the existence of changes for a new balance, but that is normal and is actually done to keep consumers and farmers more prosperous. “This time, the government is extraordinary in promoting our food defence, and that is the permanent solution for the needs of society,” Andi said. Head of the Plantation Division of the Indonesian Palm Oil Entrepreneurs Association (GAPKI), Aziz Hidayat, mentioned that fertiliser readiness is felt in the palm oil sector, with palm oil production increasing by 7.2% in 2025. “Although for palm oil farmers and companies, subsidies are not allowed. But the important thing is, whatever the price, its availability is guaranteed, palm oil actors will definitely buy fertiliser,” Aziz said. With the rise in CPO and CKPO, palm oil exports also increased and impacted foreign exchange earnings which also rose. According to Aziz, this is something to be grateful for, although in the future it still needs to be calculated carefully. “There are still challenges and many other issues, but hopefully the government is wiser in paying attention to palm oil business actors, both companies and farmers. Because we should be grateful that to this day, the only company or investment that is still resilient is palm oil,” Aziz concluded. Executive Director of the Institutional Banking Group at Bank DBS Indonesia, Ello Hanson, agreed that food, agriculture, plantations, and food are very resilient in all times and are one of the main focuses in DBS’s portfolio. According to him, this is because of the very large demand and also the large population in Indonesia. “This sector covers the entire value chain, from upstream to downstream or farm to fork. This shows its strategic role, both for Indonesia and in our financing portfolio,” he explained. He added that although challenges remain, this sector is considered resilient with strong long-term prospects. “Overall, our portfolio remains solid. We do not take short-term reactive steps, but focus on disciplined risk management and sustainable support for customers,” Ello concluded.