UPLAND Programme Strengthens Local Food Security and Pursues Export Market Mission
The Development of Integrated Farming System in Upland Areas (UPLAND) programme is considered effective in creating an integrated highland agribusiness ecosystem from upstream to downstream. The programme, which is entering its exit strategy phase in 2026, was initiated by the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture. It has been developed across 14 districts, covering a total area of 14,216 hectares. This strategic project is supported by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Director General of Agricultural Land and Irrigation at the Ministry of Agriculture, Hermanto, stated that the programme’s achievements go beyond physical development. The hard work aims to address the challenges of agricultural development in upland areas, which have long been plagued by limited logistics and market access. ‘We use several approaches to build a strategic infrastructure foundation for agricultural productivity. This includes irrigation, dryland pipanisation, construction of small reservoirs, and farm roads that serve as arteries for the distribution of agricultural products,’ Hermanto said in a written press release in Jakarta, quoted on Saturday.
He also mentioned that the programme employed an institutional transformation strategy. A total of 46 farmer corporations have been successfully established across the 14 districts, becoming independent business entities that manage production. The performance of these corporations is evident in two areas: a competitive global market and a stable domestic market. On the international stage, data shows a significant increase in volume for selected corporations. A farmer group in Magelang Regency recorded a surge in coffee exports to Dubai from 18 tonnes to 80 tonnes this year. A corporation in Purbalingga successfully shipped 300 tonnes of pepper, while farmers in Subang managed to penetrate the Chinese market with 3 tonnes of premium mangosteen.
Simultaneously, the farmer corporations have also demonstrated their dominance in the domestic market. Organic rice from Magelang has successfully entered modern retail markets and become a regular supplier for KFC restaurant chains in the surrounding area. In Tasikmalaya, a strategic partnership has been established with the Tasikmalaya Regency Government to supply organic rice for the consumption needs of civil servants.