Penas Momentum for Food Self-Sufficiency: Gobel Says Agriculture Must Be Foundation of National Economy

Member of Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Rachmat Gobel, has invited all participants of the 2026 National Farmers and Fishermen’s Week (Penas) XVII to make the forum a momentum for food self-sufficiency. “In this context, the agricultural and fisheries sectors must become the foundation of the national economy,” he said on Saturday, 20 June 2026. Gobel made the statement after attending the opening ceremony of Penas in the sports complex area of Gorontalo Regency, Gorontalo Province. The quadrennial event was opened by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka and is scheduled to be closed by President Prabowo Subianto on 24 June 2026. The event was attended by Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman, Deputy Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Didit Herdiawan, Gorontalo Governor Gusnar Ismail, Gorontalo Regent Sofyan Puhi, and other officials. The event was attended by farmers, fishermen, extension workers, and other stakeholders. Agricultural equipment was also exhibited at the event. Agriculture, plantations, livestock, and fisheries, Gobel said, must be the foundation of the national economy. “Because that is Indonesia’s strength. Vast land, a very large number of human resources involved, only two seasons, and fertile soil. This is not only economic strength, but also our national resilience,” he said. As part of the host contingent, Gobel presented four tourist destinations he has developed as a member of parliament, including the Pentadio hot springs area featuring a cat statue and a spherical videotron—the only one of its kind in Indonesia—the renovated Pakaya Tower, the beautified Lake Perintis with a lamp swing attraction, and the Tamendao Beach area. Thus, the thousands of participants from across Indonesia will have adequate places for relaxation between activities during the five-day event. To realise food self-sufficiency, Gobel is building an agricultural ecosystem integrated with tourism and education. For this reason, he is developing 20 agritourism villages with 10 agricultural commodities. For the initial phase, he built the Tilihuwa Village Peanut Agritourism site. The development of a community-based tourism, economic, agricultural, and educational ecosystem centred on peanuts is part of an effort to build the welfare of farmers and rural communities. He built a communal workspace, offices, warehouses, public sanitation facilities, an early childhood education centre, and homestays. Everything is managed by a cooperative. The Head of the Agricultural Human Resources Extension and Development Agency (BPPSDMP), Idha Widi Arsanti, and her team have already visited the Peanut Agritourism Village located in Tilihuwa Village. Through intensive discussions, BPPSDMP will assist with technical personnel training for agricultural machinery maintenance, improving the quality of extension workers, and strengthening its institutional framework. Gobel said this event must be a momentum for agricultural and fisheries stakeholders to showcase the superior commodities and products of their respective regions. In this way, he said, participants can exchange experiences, learn from each other, and then collaborate. Additionally, he said, they can also demonstrate innovations that have been made so they can be shared with participants from other regions. Regarding collaboration, Gobel recounted his experience of forging ties with the City of Sukabumi by exploring possible cooperation on soybean planting. For peanuts, he is also collaborating with Garudafood. Meanwhile, for cocoa and coffee crops, he is establishing cooperation with Chateraise. Garudafood is a peanut processing company, while Chateraise is a cake and ice cream company from Japan. Gobel further stated that farmer welfare and agricultural productivity must go hand in hand. “Product quality and quantity are needed by consumers and are important for national resilience, but the welfare of farmers and fishermen must also continue to improve. This is what must be achieved together by the government, farmers, fishermen, and entrepreneurs,” he said. According to him, farmers and fishermen face problems of poverty, issues with seeds and fertilisers, and falling selling prices at harvest time. He acknowledged that the Prabowo Subianto administration is working hard to guarantee the supply of fertilisers and seeds at affordable prices and to ensure the absorption of harvests at adequate prices. Gobel said that the progress of agriculture and fisheries and the prosperity of farmers and fishermen throughout Indonesia must go hand in hand. “Penas is a strategic forum for farmers and fishermen as well as for agriculture and fisheries. Here they can exchange and gain knowledge and experience so as to give birth to new innovations that can be brought back to their respective regions,” he said. Looking ahead, Gobel said the modernisation of agriculture is an absolute necessity to guarantee food supply and address the challenges of climate change. “There is the threat of a world food crisis. This must be realised together. Farmers and fishermen are the spearhead of national resilience and the nation’s progress. This Penas event must become a collective awareness of the strategic importance of farmers and fishermen, and of agriculture and fisheries, for Indonesia’s future,” he said.