The government is currently stopping food commodity imports, particularly rice and corn, because domestic production can meet the demand. This aligns with ongoing efforts toward self-sufficiency in rice and corn.
Collaboration in food crop protection is expected to create a stronger and more adaptive ecosystem. This will ultimately contribute to national food security and the welfare of farmers.
“We will increase the planting area for rice and corn, and also ensure they reach harvest. So, as the planting area increases, the harvested area also increases; that’s where plant protection is needed,” said Director General of Food Crops, Ministry of Agriculture of Indonesia, Dr. Yudi Sastro, at the Indonesian Plant and Animal Protection Society (MPTHI) meeting in the Auditorium of the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Agriculture UGM), on Friday (Jun. 13).
The director general invited plant protection experts who are members of MPTHI to support the government’s program.
According to Dr. Sastro, such a forum can become a bridge for strategic collaboration to protect plants, ensure productivity, and build a resilient and sustainable agricultural system.
It can also provide positive input for the government.
“We cannot talk about food security without strengthening plant protection,” he stated.
Main Secretary of the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Dr. Sarwo Edhy, conveyed that one of Bapanas’s tasks is to ensure the availability of 13 important staple foods, from rice, corn, soybeans, to onions.
In carrying out its duties, Bapanas is expected to gradually control or maintain stability for food-prone areas.
“There are 74 regencies/cities categorized as food-prone areas, and this number decreases every year. Based on BPS data, there are currently 68, and hopefully this year it will decrease further to 64 regencies and cities,” Dr. Edhy explained.
Additionally, Bapanas also has the mandate to socialize the “stop food waste” program.
Based on data from BPS and FAO, Indonesia loses as much as 30 percent of food due to waste.
“We must control waste and conduct socialization from the central to the regional levels in communities. Train them to eat sufficiently and shop reasonably,” Dr. Edhy added.
Sutarto Alimoeso, the Chair of MPTHI, believes that Indonesia cannot discuss food security without strengthening plant protection.
In the context of global challenges such as climate change, pest and disease attacks, and land degradation, synergy between scientists, practitioners, regulators, and industry players is needed.
In its role, he said, MPTHI ensures continuous, quality, and safe production to meet expectations, ultimately leading to competitiveness.
“Efforts in plant protection are not just about whether there are rats, no caterpillars, or no planthoppers,” he said.
Professor Subejo of Agriculture UGM views that this kind of meeting is strategic because it can combine policy aspects and practical aspects from bureaucrats and practitioners.
“This forum serves as a discussion platform to discuss plant and animal protection practices so far,” he added.
MPTHI is an organization dedicated to plant protection, contributing to farmer communities and the government through advocacy.
This is done in an effort to suppress impacts caused by pest and plant disease attacks, as well as the impacts of climate change.
The theme of the MPTHI 2025 meeting is “Synergistic Plant Protection Supporting the Achievement of Sustainable Food Self-Sufficiency.”
The MPTHI meeting commenced with the opening of an agricultural product exhibition, marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony performed by the Director General of Food Crops.
He was accompanied by the Chair of MPTHI, the Main Secretary of Bapanas, Dr. Sarwo Edhy, and Professor Subejo, as the Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, and Cooperation of Agriculture UGM.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya