January 27, 2026 | 10:00 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government’s explanation proved to be the hardest part to obtain in reporting on the planned expansion of the national strategic project (PSN) for food and energy self-sufficiency in South Papua. On Monday, January 5, 2026, Tempo sent a request for an interview with President Prabowo Subianto through the State Secretariat Ministry. At the same time, similar letters were sent to nine ministries and agencies, as well as to private companies connected to the issue. Until this report went to press, not one had agreed to the interview request.
Several ministries have recently submitted written responses. One of them was the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs. Widiastuti, the ministry’s Deputy for the of Food and Agricultural Business Coordination, answered Tempo’s questions addressed to Coordinating Minister for Food Affiars and Chair of the National Food, Energy, and Water Self-Sufficiency Acceleration Team, Zulkifli Hasan. What follows is her explanation, supplemented by doorstep interviews with Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Minister Nusron Wahid and Deputy Agriculture Minister Sudaryono.
Deputy for Food and Agriculture Business Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs, Widiastuti
What has the Food Self-Sufficiency Acceleration Team done so far?
The Acceleration Team has, among other things, prepared a master plan for South Papua, coordinated by the National Development Planning Agency (Bapenas) and involving various technical sectors. The team has also overseen the implementation of Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No. 14/2025 with due caution, involving the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) and the Attorney General’s Office.
What are the targets?
The government is committed to achieving self-sufficiency in staple foods such as rice, sugar, salt, beef, chicken, eggs, and fish, as well as renewable energy based on oil palm plantations for biodiesel and sugarcane for bioethanol.
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