Indonesia could emerge as one of the world’s major rice producers in the near future. President Prabowo Subianto believes rapid advances in agricultural technology are paving the way for Indonesia to significantly boost food production and eventually become one of the world’s rice granaries.
Prabowo shared his optimism while inspecting rice cultivation technologies after delivering remarks at the 17th National Farmers and Fishermen Week (PENAS) in Gorontalo on Wednesday (June 24, 2026).
According to the President, Indonesia’s agricultural sector is currently witnessing the development of numerous technological innovations and farming techniques created by the farming community itself. He described the results as revolutionary because the technologies have the potential to dramatically improve crop productivity.
Prabowo said rice yields that previously averaged around five tons can now increase to between 10 and 12 tons. The output represents more than a twofold increase in production.
“I think it will not be long before Indonesia become one of the world’s rice granaries. We can help many countries. However, the key now is to be grateful and safeguard this progress. It must not become a phenomenon that lasts only one or two years. It has to be a sustainable system,” he told reporters.
The President emphasized that long-term food self-sufficiency would create better living conditions for farmers. He also said Indonesia’s food production potential can be maximized through a combination of intensification, extensification, and downstream processing.
Prabowo added that the government’s vision extends beyond increasing rice output alone. The goal is to improve the quality and production of a broad range of agricultural commodities.
“So, what we produce in the future will be of very high quality. Not only rice, not only corn, cassava, sugar, but also soybeans and sago,” Prabowo said.
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He also underlined the strategic importance of food security in an increasingly uncertain world. According to him, sustainable food self-sufficiency and secure domestic food production would strengthen the country’s ability to respond to various challenges, including escalating geopolitical tensions.
To achieve that vision, Prabowo encouraged the expansion of agricultural technology across all regions of Indonesia. He believes technological development should not be concentrated in only a handful of areas but instead reach communities nationwide so that every region can become self-sufficient in food production.
“We want every village to be self-sufficient, every sub-district to be self-sufficient, every regency to be self-sufficient, and every province to be self-sufficient. At a minimum, if possible, provinces should produce enough for export and supply other regions. This is our strategy going forward,” Prabowo said.
The President’s remarks reflect the government’s broader ambition to build a resilient and sustainable food system. By increasing productivity through innovation and extending agricultural advances to all parts of the country, Indonesia aims not only to achieve lasting food self-sufficiency but also to position itself as a major rice granaries contributor to global food supplies in the years ahead.
