President Praises Minister for Achieving Food Self-Sufficiency in One Year

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The President of Indonesia stated that he had assigned the Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, and his team to achieve food self-sufficiency in Indonesia within four years. However, this target was achieved much faster, in just one year.

The President also expressed his appreciation for the Minister’s performance. He admitted that he initially did not know Amran. However, he said that Amran has good ideas after a direct dialogue.

President Prabowo also revealed that he proposed to the 7th President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), that Amran be reappointed as Minister of Agriculture. Amran served as Minister of Agriculture from 2014-2019. Amran was then re-sworn in by Jokowi at the State Palace, Central Jakarta on October 25, 2023. This followed allegations of corruption against the previous Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo.

“I never knew him. I asked him two or three questions, and it turned out that this person has good ideas. Then I proposed to Mr. Jokowi that he be brought back as Minister of Agriculture. The rest is history. He finally worked hard because he understands the issues,” said Prabowo during a speech at the inauguration of 1,061 Desa Merah Putih Cooperatives in Nganjuk Regency, East Java, Saturday (May 16, 2026).

Prabowo said that Amran understands agricultural issues because he has served as minister, has experience as an actor in the agricultural sector, and comes from a farming family. On that occasion, Prabowo also mentioned that the Indonesian nation has been overlooked by other nations for too long and is considered a ‘soft state’.