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The Food Estate Program,
What’s the Rush?

In response to the threat of food shortages related to drought and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, President Joko Widodo launched the food estate program, a new strategic program for Indonesia. The food estate program includes developing hundreds of thousands of hectares of new rice fields, which can damage peatland and protected forests.

The government responds to warnings from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations that the pandemic may disrupt food distribution and availability.

Watch FAO's warning
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We must pay attention to the warnings from the FAO. We must take seriously the FAO warning on the possible effects of the coronavirus and the possibility of a global food crisis.
Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, April 13, 2020

However, the locations of the food estate sites are still unclear.

The food estate sites are expected to be situated on the 1 million hectares (2.47 million acres) of land opened for the One Million Hectare Rice Project in Central Kalimantan. On the site, 64% or 883,000 hectares (2.18 million acres) has been designated as peatland conservation land, meaning it may not be developed for agriculture; the essential function of the land is water management to prevent peat fires. Peatland use must adhere to sustainable principles in order to avert environmental and social harm.

The government has not been transparent in designating the locations for the food estate, meaning that the effect on the environment and on people cannot be assessed.

Peatland in the Former One Million Hectare Rice Project
Peatland Designated for Agriculture
Peatland Designated for Agriculture
Peatland Designated for Conservation
Peatland Designated for Conservation

The government is rushing ahead with the food estate program without planning it properly.

Changing land use on a massive scale, particularly on peatland, requires comprehensive environmental, economic and social studies involving the community.

Apr 28, 2020
President Joko Widodo issues order to establish new rice fields on Central Kalimantan wetlands.
May 12, 2020
A portion of the 165,000 hectares (407,550 acres) of the food estate program is to be located on land within the former One Million Hectare Rice Project that has been designated as agricultural land.
Jun 27, 2020
Indonesia sets a budget of 6 trillion rupiah ($429 million) for the preliminary phase of the project, which will take place over the following two to three years.
Jul 7, 2020
Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto is appointed to lead the food estate program.
Aug 6, 2020
The Ministry of Agriculture says it has prepared 770,600 hectares (1.9 million acres) of land in the former One Million Hectare Rice Project in Central Kalimantan for food estate crops.
Sep 23, 2020
The Minister of Defense says the food estate program will continue to grow to an estimated 1.4 million hectares (3.46 million acres) in Central Kalimantan.

The government is covering its eyes and closing its ears. The program continues. The public must remain vigilant and critical.

Continue to observe the implementation of the food estate program regularly.

Get the latest updates
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Criticism from experts
In 1997, a huge fire broke out with haze worse than that of 2015, because the peat was dry when it burned. We understand that, to function, peat must be wet. Dry peat is damaged peat.
Dimas Hartono, Executive Director of Central Kalimantan Walhi, Pantau Gambut Webinar, May 7, 2020
The food estate program does not provide space for civil society to provide inputs and join in on monitoring. Everything from planning to implementation was carried out behind closed doors. Planning must always be done from the ground up, but we seem to be sidelined by the government. Minimum involvement of local communities will also lead to many problems.
Iola Abas, National Coordinator of Pantau Gambut; Kompas, October 8, 2020
The food estate project, if planned in this fashion, may be a grave failure similar to the previous food estate. If you ask me, before too many mistakes are made, the plans must be improved. Implement the program from the bottom by involving local communities.
Suraya A. Afiff Phd, Lecturer within the Anthropology Department of the University of Indonesia; Pantau Gambut Webinar, Sept. 17, 2020
It is important to analyze the government’s arguments in implementing the food estate, but it turns out that it is very difficult to justify the project. I find a built-in inertia within the government’s very stubborn argument; it is immune to any scientific input or to the experiences of the victims of previous food estates. This calls us to question what lies behind the food estate and why it must be developed. Something is being covered up and not being expressed, during a period in which it is difficult to scrutinize the government’s actions.
Dr Laksmi Savitri, Head of National Board, FIAN Indonesia; Pantau Gambut Webinar, Sept.1, 2020
The answer to all the commotion we’ve been discussing today is to make major efforts to increase farmer prosperity. Increasing farmer prosperity will automatically increase food production. There’s no need for a food estate, etc.
Prof. Dr. Ir Dwi Andreas Santosa, MS, Senior Lecturer at the Bogor Agricultural Institute; Pantau Gambut Webinar, Sept. 1, 2020
Nonetheless, the food estate program continues.
Criticism from experts,
Nonetheless, the food estate program continues.
cnn news
In 1997, a huge fire broke out with haze worse than that of 2015, because the peat was dry when it burned. We understand that, to function, peat must be wet. Dry peat is damaged peat.
Dimas Hartono, Executive Director of Central Kalimantan Walhi, Pantau Gambut Webinar, May 7, 2020
The food estate program does not provide space for civil society to provide inputs and join in on monitoring. Everything from planning to implementation was carried out behind closed doors. Planning must always be done from the ground up, but we seem to be sidelined by the government. Minimum involvement of local communities will also lead to many problems.
Iola Abas, National Coordinator of Pantau Gambut; Kompas, October 8, 2020
The food estate project, if planned in this fashion, may be a grave failure similar to the previous food estate. If you ask me, before too many mistakes are made, the plans must be improved. Implement the program from the bottom by involving local communities.
Suraya A. Afiff Phd, Lecturer within the Anthropology Department of the University of Indonesia; Pantau Gambut Webinar, Sept. 17, 2020
It is important to analyze the government’s arguments in implementing the food estate, but it turns out that it is very difficult to justify the project. I find a built-in inertia within the government’s very stubborn argument; it is immune to any scientific input or to the experiences of the victims of previous food estates. This calls us to question what lies behind the food estate and why it must be developed. Something is being covered up and not being expressed, during a period in which it is difficult to scrutinize the government’s actions.
Dr Laksmi Savitri, Head of National Board, FIAN Indonesia; Pantau Gambut Webinar, Sept.1, 2020
JThe answer to all the commotion we’ve been discussing today is to make major efforts to increase farmer prosperity. Increasing farmer prosperity will automatically increase food production. There’s no need for a food estate, etc.
Prof. Dr. Ir Dwi Andreas Santosa, MS, Senior Lecturer at the Bogor Agricultural Institute; Pantau Gambut Webinar, Sept. 1, 2020

What is the status of Indonesia’s food security?

Food security is assessed based on how successfully a government can fulfill the food needs of its citizens. The assessment of food security is based on the Global Food Security Index (GFSI), which consists of 4 aspects: affordability, availability, quality, and safety, as well as natural resources and resilience.

The Indonesian food security index experienced an increasing trend from 2016 to 2019; however, it decreased in 2020. This decrease is due to the low value of several indicators, namely: affordability, quality and food safety, natural resources, and resilience.

Food
security
index
Scored from 0 to 100, with 100 being the most ideal.
Source: GFSI 2020.
Explore the indicators

Indonesia’s food self-sufficiency is above the global average.

On the other hand, although the Indonesian food security index decreased in 2020, its food availability index increased. One of the contributing factors was the food supply, which was 72, above the world average in 2020, and grew from 2019 as well.

Indonesia
72
World average
60.4
Scored from 0 to 100, with 100 being the most ideal.
Source: GFSI 2020.
Explore the indicators

The State Logistics Agency is optimistic that food will remain secure through the 2020 Covid-19 crisis.

State Logistics Agency chairman, Budi Waseso, reassures the Indonesian public that they need not worry about security of food, particularly rice. By taking into account stock levels, consumption and production, he is optimistic that food security can be sustained for the length of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jan-Jun 2020
Total rice stocks
(Rice remaining from prior six months plus rice production)
22.59 mil tonnes
Projected requirements
15.10 mil tonnes
Rice remaining for the following six months
7.49 mil tonnes
Jul-Dec 2020
Total rice stocks
(Rice remaining from prior six months plus rice production)
14.74 mil tonnes
Projected requirements
9.90 mil tonnes
Rice remaining for the following six months
4.84 mil tonnes
Jan-Jun 2020
Jul-Dec 2020
Total rice stocks
(Rice remaining from prior six months plus rice production)
22.59 mil tonnes
14.74 mil tonnes
Projected requirements
15.10 mil tonnes
9.90 mil tonnes
Rice remaining for the following six months
7.49 mil tonnes
4.84 mil tonnes
On the matter of food, other countries have limited the export of produce, but in Indonesia I think that we must not worry too much (about food supply).
Budi Waseso, State Logistics Agency chairman, in a virtual discussion on Market Review, IDX Channel, July 14, 2020.

Is it appropriate to farm on peatland?

Converting peatland to agricultural land usually involves creating canals to remove the water from the peat. In addition to requiring enormous amounts of energy and funds, draining peat results in land that is prone to burning, releases carbon emissions and may also expose polluting pyrite sediments.

Exposed pyrite causes soil to become very acidic (pH <3.5) and makes it difficult to cultivate. Pyrite may also dissolve and pollute water, as occurred during the construction of a canal—187 kilometer (115.94 miles) in length—under the One Million Hectare Rice Project of 1995. Pollution from this project caused mass fish deaths in the Mangkatip River and in tributaries of the Barito.

Pyrite (FeS2) is a soil mineral often found in swampland and, when oxidized, it becomes a toxic compound containing iron and aluminum.
Peatland is a type of wetland formed from the accumulation of decaying organic matter over thousands of years.
Clearing peatland by creating drainage channels causes peat to dry up and become prone to fire.
In addition to being prone to fire, the construction of drainage channels exposes the pyrite layer that is usually buried within the peat.
Oxidized pyrite reacts with air, resulting in a compound that is toxic to its surroundings and that may dissolve and pollute waterways and rivers.

Rice yields on peatland are much lower than on mineral soils.

In addition, converting peatland is difficult: it takes time, money and energy.

To this day, no food estate program on peatland has been successful.

Rice yields on peatland

Blang Ramee Village, West Aceh
1.5 ton/ha
East Tanjung Jabung District, Jambi
2.9 ton/ha
Katingan District, Central Kalimantan
1.9 ton/ha
*This comparison only considers rice production yields; it does not take into account other parameters such as the variety of rice grown, the weather, crop management or crop treatments, such as fertilizer.

Rice yields on mineral soil

Senduro Village, Lumajang
7.2 ton/ha
Banyu Biru Subdistrict, Semarang
7.3 ton/ha
Badung District, Bali
6.2 ton/ha
Blang Ramee Village, West Aceh
1.5 ton/ha
East Tanjung Jabung District, Jambi
2.9 ton/ha
Katingan District, Central Kalimantan
1.9 ton/ha
Senduro Village, Lumajang
7.2 ton/ha
Banyu Biru Subdistrict, Semarang
7.3 ton/ha
Badung District, Bali
6.2 ton/ha
*This comparison only considers rice production yields; it does not take into account other parameters such as the variety of rice grown, the weather, crop management or crop treatments, such as fertilizer.

Why is rice productivity lower on peatland?

01

Low macronutrient and micronutrient content

02

High acidity

03

Minimal use of farming technology

Will the food estate failures on peatland be repeated?

Will the food estate failures on peatland be repeated?

One Million Hectare Rice Project

110,000 Ha
1.45 million Ha

Will the food estate failures on peatland be repeated?

Ketapang Food Estate

100 Ha
100,000 Ha

Will the food estate failures on peatland be repeated?

Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE)

400 Ha
1.2 million Ha

In the past, converting land to food estate caused massive loss of forest and peat cover.

Peatland is often mistaken for idle land. In fact, peatland plays a significant role in supporting the community and biodiversity. Damaged peatland cannot easily be restored back to its original condition.

The satellite images below shows that, as the years pass, there are increasing numbers of significant land cover changes in the former One Million Hectare Rice Project area.

The former One Million Hectare Rice Project area experiences significant changes in land cover every year, harming the peatland ecosystem.

Source:

To this day, fires still occur during the dry season in the former One Million Hectare Rice Project area.

Instead of boosting Indonesia's food reserves, the 1995 One Million Hectare Rice Project left behind it damaged peatland that experiences fires every dry season.

It is feared that the reopening of the same area will cause increasingly severe fires.

  • Burned more than 3x
  • Burned more than 2x
  • Burned more than 1x
  • Only burned once
  • Former One Million Hectare
    Rice Project
1997-1998
Ha
2015
Ha
2019
Ha
Source: Fires on former forest and other land for 2015 to 2019, Ministry of Environment and Forestry

Indonesia has also suffered significant financial losses due to the failures of the food estate programs.

The 1995 One Million Hectare Rice Project had a budget of close to 7 trillion rupiah, but ended in failure. The project stalled and resulted in serious economic losses and conflicts with the local community.

Total state losses from 1995 to April 1999

Rehabilitation budget allocation* which was not used

* Based on information from the Master Plan for the Rehabilitation and Revitalization of the Former One Million Hectare Rice Project.

The Ketapang Food Estate is an example of a project that failed due to a lack of labor.

Each hectare of rice field requires 40 to 80 people to plant the crop and 200 to 250 people to harvest it. However, the Ketapang Food Estate project failed to hire sufficient labor.

Land tenants are also not given assistance or training to help them manage peatland in a sustainable manner.

This problem is exacerbated by the lack of clarity on compensation for failing rice fields, which results in transmigrants having to scavenge for earnings as casual workers.

They (transmigrant workers) complain that they cannot expect much from the two hectares of land allocated to them … because of the soil being peat; it can only be planted with pineapples and tree crops.

Laksmi & Khidir, 2015. Large-Scale Food Farms in Ketapang: Dreams of Production Surplus

Social conflicts culminate in rampant oppression of communities during the implementation of food estate programs.

The Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate project in Papua Province oppressed communities; companies confiscated community land in the guise of creating a solution to the global food and energy crisis.

These lands have become monoculture plantations for crops such as palm oil and acacia, while the communities have lost forests and sago plantations, which provided them with food.

Film: Mama Malind Su Hilang (Our Land Has Gone), created by Nanang Sujana, 2017.

Let’s monitor its implementation!

The new food estate program is very likely to repeat the same unfortunate mistakes. Without clear planning or a commitment to preserving the environment and society, communities will once again suffer.

Monitor Food Estate Implementation

This page with the latest news is curated and updated frequently by Pantau Gambut.

Jun 2023

Jun 30, 2023

Food Estate Criticized, Prabowo Keeps Trying to Protect the People

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Apr 2023

Apr 14, 2023

After the failure of food estate, the Government Was Asked to Build Systematic Food Sovereignty

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Apr 12, 2023

Food Estate Project is Stagnant, Law Enforcement Still Silent? DPR Says This

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Mar 2023

Mar 23, 2023

Prabowo Fails to Harvest Cassava in a Food Estate Project

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Mar 4, 2023

Ironic! Some of the Failed Ex-PLG Areas Now Developed for Food Estates are Vulnerable to Fire

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Mar 2, 2023

Ignorance to peat restoration, the threat of fire is haunting

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Feb 2023

Feb 18, 2023

Blaming on water, Development of Food Estate in Central Kalimantan will be optimal in 4 years

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Feb 15, 2023

The food estate project is considered to ignore citizens' rights to food and nutrition

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Feb 1, 2023

Arguments of farmers in North Sumatra regarding the failure of the Food Estate

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Jan 2023

Jan 22, 2023

Field story: The Food Estate Project, which farmers began to abandon because it did not live up to expectations

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Jan 18, 2023

Prabowo stands-in the argument of DPR-RI regarding the problematic of Food Estate Project

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Jan 17, 2023

House of Representatives Commission IV will form a special committee to oversee the food estate program due to suspected fake data of production

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Jan 13, 2023

CIPS Researcher: Food Estate Program developed in forest and peatland areas that exacerbates the climate crisis and causes a loss of 427.2 tonnes of carbon per hectare of converted peatland

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Dec 2022

Dec 24, 2022

Denying the food estate failed, the Chief of Staff blamed the uncertain natural conditions

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Dec 19, 2022

Various food estate problems experienced by farmers in Humbang Hasundutan

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Dec 14, 2022

The threat of a food crisis must be overcome by developing diversity, not a food estate program

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Dec 12, 2022

Food Estate Project Threat, Repeating Past Failures?

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Dec 6, 2022

If Indonesia's food storage project fails, who is responsible for restoring the forest?

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Dec 6, 2022

A land area of 2,500 hectares (Ha) is prepared for a food estate with the reason for supporting the new capital Indonesia

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Nov 2022

Nov 30, 2022

Professor and Head of the Biotechnology Center of IPB Dwi Andreas Santosa assessed that the Food Estate failed because it violated the 4 pillars of large-scale agricultural land development

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Nov 29, 2022

The progress of Food Estate is slow, Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing complains about the lack of people to work on the land

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Nov 23, 2022

Director General of Agricultural Infrastructure and Facilities (PSP) of the Ministry of Agriculture acknowledged that there was the use of heavy equipment for stalled food estate projects. Currently, the condition of the heavy equipment is abandoned and unused

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Nov 17, 2022

False promise of welfare from food estate project

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Nov 10, 2022

Food Estate Feeding Climate Crisis

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Oct 2022

Oct 31, 2022

Serikat Petani Indonesia (SPI) said that the import of GMOs favored the control of giant corporations over the availability of seeds/seedlings in the country, so that farmers would depend on and buy from these corporations.

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Oct 18, 2022

According to BPS records, the harvested area during January-September 2021 in Central Kalimantan reached 115,848 hectares (ha), in fact the realization in 2022 in the same period actually decreased to 88.064 ha.

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Oct 13, 2022

The extensification of the Food Estate in Mulyasari Village, Pandih Batu District, Pulang Pisau Regency, covering an area of 103.66 hectares has been neglected due to water management problems that prevent rice from growing.

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Sep 2022

Sep 27, 2022

SPI criticizes the food estate policy to address food problems. Governments should avoid approaches that rely on markets and private power. This can create new issues, namely agrarian conflicts and farmers' dependence on corporations, such as seeds, and fertilizers, to marketing.

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Sep 23, 2022

The area of ​​food estate in Central Kalimantan continues to grow, both for intensification land and new paddy fields. However, the government has difficulty finding tenants or workers

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Sep 8, 2022

The Ministry of Agriculture has prepared a budget of IDR 2.3 trillion in 2023 for Food Estate and strengthening food production center areas

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Aug 2022

Aug 14, 2022

Food Estate Project Continues although Indonesia is Self-Sufficient in Rice

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Aug 12, 2022

Entering the Food Estate Program, Farmers in Bentuk Jaya Village Complain Due to Floods Can't Plant.

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Jul 2022

Jul 22, 2022

BRGM on Food Estate in Peatland: Expensive Cost but Small Margin.

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Jul 14, 2022

Moeldoko Admits that Something's not Right on Jokowi's Food Estate

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Jul 13, 2022

Worried about the Ambition of a New Food Estate area: A Cover for Land- and Budget-Hungry Infrastructure Development

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Jul 12, 2022

Messy Food Estate Project Ambition

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Jul 12, 2022

Funds Lost in Food Support Infrastructure.

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Jul 12, 2022

Making New Rice Fields is a Waste of Budget.

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Jun 2022

Jun 30, 2022

The results of satellite image verification by Pantau Gambut found patterned land clearing in areas of dense vegetation and peat areas

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Apr 2022

Apr 17, 2022

Minister of Agriculture Claims 100 Percent Success of Food Estate, Walhi: Stop Ignoring Farmers and the Environment.

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Apr 15, 2022

Questioning the Minister of Agriculture's Claims on the Success of the Food Estate

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Mar 2022

Mar 21, 2022

Realization of Food Estate in Bulungan Regency Has Not Been Achieved Perfectly.

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Jan 2022

Jan 10, 2022

KPA Reveals 6 Food Estate Policy Problems.

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Jan 7, 2022

Food Estate project development needs to be re-evaluated.

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Dec 2021

Dec 30, 2021

Professor of the IPB University, Dwi Andreas Santosa predicts the food estate program will fail.

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Dec 22, 2021

Temanggung prepares 339 hectares of "food estate" land.

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Dec 9, 2021

The food estate program in the Gunung Mas area, Central Kalimantan is considered to have caused the forest in the surrounding area to be damaged.

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Nov 2021

Nov 23, 2021

Pantau Gambut assesses that Indonesia's food problem is not about production but the unequal distribution of food.

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Nov 22, 2021

Greenpeace: 700 Hectare Food Estate Project in Central Kalimantan Triggers Floods.

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Nov 18, 2021

The Palangkaraya Legal Aid Institute (LBH) said that deforestation carried out to support a cassava food estate project in Gunung Mas Regency, Central Kalimantan, has the potential to expand flood areas.

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Nov 9, 2021

Central Kalimantan Governor Optimistic Food Estate can reduce Indonesia's food imports.

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Oct 2021

Oct 30, 2021

The food estate area in Humbangan Hasundutan, North Sumatra, has taken over customary land.

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Oct 19, 2021

Food estate in Pulang Pisau Regency is expanded by 3,000 ha to increase crop yields.

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Oct 11, 2021

The Ministry of National Development Planning (PPN)/Bappenas conducts mastering or updating plans for the development of food storage locations in Central Kalimantan.

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Sep 2021

Sep 28, 2021

Central Kalimantan Develops West Zone Food Estate, namely in Katingan, Seruyan and East Kotawaringin (Kotim) Regencies with an area of ​​1000 hectares each.

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Sep 27, 2021

PLN supports the Food Estate program in Pulang Pisau and Kuala Kapuas districts, Central Kalimantan by building a number of electrical infrastructure to illuminate an area of ​​20 thousand hectares (Ha)

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Sep 8, 2021

The government's recommendation to speed up planting time from 2 times per year to 3 times per year makes almost 90% of farmers not get optimal yields.

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Aug 2021

Aug 27, 2021

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment targets 1000 hectares of Food Estate North Sumatra to be completed by the end of the year.

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Aug 22, 2021

The Ministry of Agriculture said that the Food Estate program in Central Kalimantan and several other regions is an effort to synergize across ministries in responding quickly to the Covid-19 pandemic to maintain food security.

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Aug 14, 2021

The government continues to boost food estate development in four regions, namely Central Kalimantan, South Sumatra, North Sumatra, and East Nusa Tenggara.

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Jul 2021

Jul 9, 2021

The development of the Food Estate project in Humbang Hasundutan Regency, North Sumatra continues. Infrastructure development will be carried out in stages starting from 2020-2023 covering the Water Resources Sector with a total budget of IDR 406.9 billion and connectivity of IDR 619.1 billion.

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Jul 3, 2021

The development of the Food Estate project continues to Java Island.

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Jun 2021

Jun 25, 2021

Members of the DPR RI Budget Board asked that the realization of the food estate budget should not overlap. It will potentially result in the double budgets that might appear in several ministries involved.

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Jun 21, 2021

Pantau Gambut and WALHI Central Kalimantan issued study reports and field investigations, and analyses of food estate projects in the context of national food politics related to food politics and global political economy policies.

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Jun 11, 2021

Commission IV of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia rejected the plan to submit a budget of 1,1 billion Rupiah from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) in 2022 for the national food barn or food estate program.

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May 2021

May 30, 2021

Residents of four villages in Kab. Gunung Mas, Central Kalimantan, refused to clear the 2,000 ha land included in the Ministry of Defense's cassava plantation trial area. In addition to the residents' plantation, several residents' houses have even been certified.

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May 27, 2021

The provincial government of South Kalimantan is offering 10.000 ha of agricultural land in the peat swamp ecosystems to the central government to be used as a food estate. Meanwhile, the East Kalimantan Provincial Government is also preparing a land area of 2,654 ha to develop a food estate.

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May 18, 2021

Commission IV of the DPR RI questioned the presence and contribution of Perum Bulog in the food estate project launched by the government in some regions. The project is considered not to have contributed to national food security.

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May 4, 2021

The study results by the Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan show that the Government provides a number of regulatory privileges to facilitate the realization of large-scale food projects in four provinces called food estates.

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May 3, 2021

Save Our Borneo field observations at Tewai Baru Village found that 600 ha of land cleared for cassava plant development was included in the production forest area and had perfect cover, with wood diameters reaching 40 cm and above. It was replaced with cassava plants.

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Apr 2021

Apr 27, 2021

Central Kalimantan Provincial Government Ensures Peat Land in the Ex-PLG Area Will Not Be Used for Food Estate

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Apr 22, 2021

Walhi Central Kalimantan, together with Pantau Gambut, called for saving the environment in Central Kalimantan from the potential damage caused by the Food Estate program.

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Apr 7, 2021

The Governor of Central Kalimantan, Sugianto Sabran, said that the total planted rice plants reached 29,032.5 ha, 98.8% of the total target of 30,000 ha, and 15,862 ha or 52.9% had been harvested.

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Apr 6, 2021

"Mr. President, give me special directions, so that the food estate in an area of ​​160,000 hectares must be implemented." said Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan

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Mar 2021

Mar 31, 2021

The national strategic program for food storage in Central Kalimantan has crashed various legal and ecological studies.

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Mar 18, 2021

Rice cultivation in the Central Kalimantan food estate part, to be precise on Pulang Pisau, has reached 25 hectares.

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Mar 17, 2021

The food estate development in Ex-PLG Central Kalimantan, covering an area of 137,000 from a total of 165,000 hectares, will be completed in 2021.

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Mar 10, 2021

The government has launched a rice import policy of 1 ton during the main harvest to secure domestic rice supplies in the midst of a pandemic.

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Feb 2021

Feb 18, 2021

The Food Estate in Dadahup District was flooded because it was in a tidal area. Besides, 88.5 ha of land, which was projected to become a food barn in Tahai Jaya Village, was damaged.

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Feb 16, 2021

This year, a land intensification of +/- 40 thousand hectares will be carried out by revitalizing existing paddy fields, especially for irrigation infrastructure and cultivation patterns. For new paddy field extensions, it is targeted to reach 22 thousand hectares. The total land expansion is 62 thousand ha.

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Feb 7, 2021

Due to the acceleration of crop-planting pattern that is recommended by the government, about 90% of farmers in Belanti were in huge loss.

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Feb 3, 2021

Head of Horticulture and Agriculture Department of Central Kalimantan denied the fact that the yields were a failure, which he then elaborated it as the productivity drop due to strong winds and heavy rain.

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Jan 2021

Jan 31, 2021

200-250 hectares croplands were harvested and produced various results. Partially, farmers harvested the green crops which are not ready to be harvested yet due to strong winds that cause destruction to the plants.

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Jan 30, 2021

Central Kalimantan’s food barn is in threat of crop failure and does not meet the expectation of many farmers due to many factors influenced such as the acceleration of planting stage and rice seeds which do not meet the land suitability.

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Jan 6, 2021

President Joko Widodo requested the local governments to accelerate the food estate program establishment which is targeted to finish on 2021. In addition to the request, he asked local state chiefs to expedite the food estate permit issues.

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Dec 2020

Dec 22, 2020

The Central Kalimantan Provincial Government holds a meeting of the Environmental Impact Assessment Commission to discuss food estate activities.

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Dec 17, 2020

The Ministry of Agriculture is optimistic that the preparation of the initial 30,000 hectares (74,100 acres) will be completed on time in December 2020 and that planting can take place early in 2021.

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Dec 8, 2020

The deputy for regional development and spatial planning within the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs says 90,000 hectares (222,300 acres) of land has been cleared for the food estate and food estate masterplan is still being drafted and 60% of the environmental impact assessment has been completed.

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Nov 2020

Nov 19, 2020

The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment confirms the locations of food estates sites in Central Kalimantan and North Sumatra do not cross the boundaries of protected forests or other conservation areas.

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Nov 18, 2020

The Environment and Forestry Minister says the 165,000 hectares (407,550 acres) of land for the food estate is not peatland and is not located within protected forest.

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Nov 15, 2020

Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar issues Minister of Environment and Forestry Law No. 24 of 2020, which authorizes the conversion of protected forest to food estate.

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Nov 14, 2020

The Central Kalimantan Provincial Government holds a public consultation on the preparation of an environmental impact assessment for the rehabilitation and improvement of the swamp irrigation network in the food estate area, which totals 165,000 hectares (407,550 acres).

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Nov 5, 2020

The Ministry of Public Works and Housing plans to build roads and bridges totaling 111.97 kilometers (69.42 miles) to connect the food estate. The construction will cost 1.129 trillion rupiah ($81 million).

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Oct 2020

Oct 30, 2020

The Minister of Public Works and Housing says construction work for the rehabilitation and improvement of the Block A irrigation network began in September 2020. The project is worth 738.04 billion rupiah and is being carried out by the contractors PT Wijaya Karya, PT Hutama Karya and PT Adipatria.

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Oct 26, 2020

The Environmental and Forestry Ministerial Regulation No. 24 2020 on the Provision of Forest for Food Estate was signed. One of the main point on this regulation is that protected forest area can be utilized for food estate.

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Oct 8, 2020

President Joko Widodo plants the first seed on the food estate. Besides rice, food estate sites will also develop other commodities. Within each area of 1,000 hectares on the Central Kalimantan food estate, some will be dedicated to commodities other than rice. If this model is successful, it will be replicated.

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Sep 2020

Sep 29, 2020

The Ministry of Agriculture and the Indonesian army sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation on the food estate program in Central Kalimantan.

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Sep 23, 2020

The Minister of Defense says the food estate program will continue to grow to an estimated 1.4 million hectares (3.46 million acres) in Central Kalimantan.

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Sep 2, 2020

The Ministry of Defense is to mobilize Indonesian army engineers to clear and grab land in preparation for cassava plantations in Gunung Mas District, Pulang Pisang District and Kapuas District.

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Aug 2020

Aug 31, 2020

The Ministry of Agriculture commits to providing agricultural equipment and infrastructure worth approximately 379 billion rupiah.

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Aug 31, 2020

The United Dayak Alliance rallies against using transmigration as a method of sourcing a labor force for the national food estate program in Central Kalimantan. They claim the program sidelines the local communities.

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Aug 14, 2020

President Joko Widodo allocates 104.2 trillion rupiah to food security for 2021. Some of the money will be used to develop large-scale food estates.

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Aug 6, 2020

The Ministry of Agriculture says it has prepared 770,600 hectares (1.9 million acres) of land in the former One Million Hectare Rice Project in Central Kalimantan for food estate crops. Rice can be cultivated on three land types: tidal swamps, lowlands and peatland.

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Jul 2020

Jul 21, 2020

The State Logistics Agency prepares to build a warehouse and rice mill at a food estate in Central Kalimantan.

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Jul 9, 2020

President Joko Widodo and key politicians visit food estate sites at the village of Bentuk Jaya, Kapuas District and in Pulang Pisau District.

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Jul 9, 2020

President Jokowi states his intention to form an agency to manage the development of food estates. It will work with investment partners, state-owned enterprises and other stakeholders.

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Jul 7, 2020

The Ministry of Defense is appointed as lead to strengthen the food estate program.

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Jun 2020

Jun 27, 2020

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs says the government will provide a further 6 trillion rupiah for three to four years of the food estate program.

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Jun 22, 2020

The Minister of Agriculture emphasized that he would not carry out a program to cultivate new rice fields on peatland this year, but will only intervene on mineral swamp lands with a water depth of 1 meter.

* No map of the location has been made available to the public.

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Jun 13, 2020

An interim report is issued on a strategic environmental impact assessment for the food estate site planned by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing.

Jun 9, 2020

The development of the food estate program is to be carried out by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing and the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises through an investment scheme.

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May 2020

May 29, 2020

Developing food estates is recommended as one of the country's 89 strategic projects and named the "Program to Improve Food Supply in Central Kalimantan." This recommendation is legalized in the Revised PSEL Presidential Decree issued by the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment.

May 12, 2020

The Public Works and Public Housing Coordination Meeting finds that 295,500 hectares of blocks A and D on the former One Million Hectare Rice Project site could be developed. Of that, ​​165,000 hectares already possesses an irrigation system, while ​​79,500 hectares requires extensification.

* Fields converted

May 5, 2020

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartanto estimates Indonesia will hold 4.7 million tonnes of rice stocks at the end of 2020, and says rice supply is secure to the end of the year.

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Apr 2020

Apr 29, 2020

Sunarti, head of Central Kalimantan's Food Crops, Horticulture and Animal Husbandry Agency, says 300,000 hectares of land has been prepared for food crops. He adds that if all proposals are approved by the government, the total land available for agriculture in Central Kalimantan will reach 663,287 hectares.

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Apr 28, 2020

President Joko Widodo orders state-owned enterprises to open 900,000 hectares (2.22 million acres) of new rice fields on the wetlands and peatland of Central Kalimantan, in preparation for a potential food crisis related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Mar 2020

Mar 24, 2020

FAO released the statement regarding Covid-19 pandemic and how it could influence the global food chain due to the decrease of labour resources which potentially hamper the food and logistic distribution.

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Make your voice heard!

The protection of forests and peatland must be voiced out and loud. However, this will not happen without your help.

What are your thoughts on the food estate programs?

Food Estate Program

@jokowi @Kemhan_RI @kementan @kementerianLHK Stop using the pandemic as a reason to exploit forests and peatland!

Food Estate Program

@jokowi @Kemhan_RI @kementan @kementerianLHK Open up access to information on food estate plans in Central Kalimantan!

Food Estate Program

@jokowi @Kemhan_RI @kementan @kementerianLHK Don't repeat the failure of the One Million Hectare Rice Project; the people of Central Kalimantan have already suffered enough!

Food Estate Program

@jokowi @Kemhan_RI @kementan @kementerianLHK Who is the food estate for?

Food Estate Program

@jokowi @Kemhan_RI @kementan @kementerianLHK Why is the food estate still being accelerated without heeding the criticisms voiced by many people?

Stop using the pandemic as an excuse to exploit,

Wahyu Perdana, Campaign Manager for Food, Water and Essential Ecosystems, Walhi National.