Indonesia has begun cultivating 481,000 hectares of rice fields in Merauke, Papua, as part of a national strategy to establish the region as a food granary. Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan said on Monday that the project, based in Wanam, will utilise nearly 1 million hectares of swamp land that can be converted into farmland. In addition to rice, the initiative aims to produce ethanol from sugarcane and cassava, as well as biodiesel blends from palm oil, contributing to both food security and renewable energy development.

Hasan emphasised that the program will reinforce Indonesia’s agenda for food sovereignty while also supporting emission reduction and climate adaptation targets. The government, he added, is ensuring security, environmental safeguards, and spatial planning, alongside expediting land rights and permits to enhance efficiency and long-term resilience. “This step will serve as a pillar of Indonesia’s food, energy, and water self-sufficiency,” he said at a press conference in Jakarta.

Source: https://english.news.cn/asiapacific/20250929/64ecad8bd2984b12b75fdc95dd1ffb7d/c.html