Sudaryono: Food security is the main foundation of Prabowo's economic transformation

Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono stated that food security is the main foundation for realising the national economic transformation, a key agenda of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration. He made the remarks during a speech at the National Working Meeting (Rakernas) of the Indonesian Raya Christian Movement (GEKIRA) in Jakarta on Friday (12/6). GEKIRA is a wing organisation of the Gerindra Party that channels the aspirations of Indonesia’s Christian community (Protestant and Catholic). Sudaryono explained that the food sector holds a strategic position in President Prabowo’s development vision because it is directly linked to people’s welfare, economic stability, and national self-reliance. “Food security is not just about rice production or agricultural commodities, but about national sovereignty. President Prabowo has a very strong commitment for Indonesia to stand on its own feet in meeting the food needs of its people,” he said. The 2026 GEKIRA Rakernas carried the theme “National Economic Transformation under the Leadership of President Prabowo Subianto,” serving as a consolidation space and a forum for formulating work programmes to support the government’s national development agenda. Sudaryono added that the government is currently implementing various strategic measures to strengthen national food security, ranging from increasing agricultural production, optimising land use, and modernising agriculture, to building irrigation infrastructure and strengthening the national food ecosystem from upstream to downstream. He stressed that the success of this major agenda requires the support of all elements of society, including community organisations and volunteer groups that have been part of President Prabowo’s political struggle. “We have fought together and placed our trust in President Prabowo. After the victory is achieved, our task is to ensure that all government programmes run well and are truly felt by the people,” he said. Sudaryono also expressed his belief that President Prabowo always prioritises the interests of the people in every policy decision. “I believe President Prabowo works entirely for the people of Indonesia. The various policies implemented by the government today are efforts to improve the system, strengthen state governance, and ensure that national resources are used to the greatest extent for the welfare of society,” he stated. According to Sudaryono, the government is also undertaking various reforms to close leaks that have been detrimental to the state, including corrupt practices, budget irregularities, over-invoicing, and transfer pricing. “When the government improves the system and closes off spaces for irregularities, there will certainly be parties who feel disturbed. But this step must be taken because the ultimate goal is to deliver a cleaner, more effective government that sides more with the people,” he said. On the occasion, Sudaryono also invited GEKIRA cadres and sympathisers to help explain various government policies to the public so that the development agenda can be fully understood. “Do not just understand government programmes for yourselves. We must be able to explain to the public the benefits and objectives of the policies being implemented. That way, the public will increasingly understand the direction of the nation’s development,” he said. Meanwhile, PP GEKIRA General Chairman Nikson Silalahi said the 2026 GEKIRA Rakernas is a strategic forum for the organisation to formulate and align work programmes with the national development agenda of President Prabowo’s administration. “This Rakernas is not just an organisational consolidation agenda. The GEKIRA Rakernas is a forum to formulate concrete work programmes that are relevant to the nation’s needs, while strengthening support for the national economic transformation agenda being carried out by President Prabowo Subianto,” said Nikson. According to Nikson, as a wing organisation of the Gerindra Party, GEKIRA has a responsibility to help oversee and ensure the success of various government programmes aimed at improving people’s welfare.