Indonesia’s Food Estate in Context: Bridging Past, Present and Future for National Food Security
Indonesia’s food estate program—initiated in 1995 and continued under successive administrations—aims to enhance national food security through large-scale agricultural expansion. However, the program has largely failed to improve crop productivity or benefit local communities, while causing significant ecological damage, social conflicts, and budgetary burdens.
Despite massive investments and land clearing, yields remain low due to unsuitable land and top-down planning. The brief recommends shifting toward sustainable intensification, bottom-up governance, and agricultural modernization, emphasizing food diversification and local participation to create a more resilient and inclusive food security strategy.