Prabowo asks ministries to realise food self-sufficiency in four years

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has directed ministers in the Red and White Cabinet to unite behind the Agriculture Ministry to realize food self-sufficiency by the next four years.

"All ministries are instructed to support the Agriculture Minister as the leading sector in efforts to achieve food self-sufficiency in the next three to four years," State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi stated after participating in the cabinet retreat at the Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java.

The president viewed food self-sufficiency, one of his priority programs, as a requisite for an agrarian country like Indonesia that should not excessively depend its food supply from foreign countries, he said.

"Indonesia is a vast nation with fertile land. We should not depend on other countries for our food," Hadi quoted Prabowo as saying.

Apart from food self-sufficiency, the president also expected ministers in his cabinet to strive to achieve energy self-sufficiency.

Self-sufficiency in food and energy was one of the main issues raised by President Prabowo during the inaugural cabinet meeting here on Wednesday (October 23).

He said Indonesia should rely on itself for its food and energy amid the ongoing global uncertainties and dynamics, and cabinet members should collaborate to achieve the goal.

"We should make food self-sufficiency a priority because of global conditions and the possibility of war; we should ensure that we can feed our people. Energy self-sufficiency is also a must," the president emphasized at that time.

Prabowo said the government should exploit Indonesia's diverse natural resources optimally and efficiently through downstreaming policies for the benefit of the people. Downstreaming can also help the country achieve energy self-sufficiency, he added.