The Kementerian Usaha Mikro, Kecil, dan Menengah (Ministry for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) is intensifying efforts to develop locally-produced Modified Cassava Flour (Mocaf) as an alternative to imported wheat, driven by three main factors. First, Indonesia remains highly dependent on wheat imports because the agro-ecosystem is not well suited to growing wheat domestically. Second, cassava is abundant and regionally available (for example in Banjarnegara, Central Java), making Mocaf a promising substitute from a raw-material standpoint. Third, Mocaf holds health and market advantages — it is gluten-free, lower in sugar, has a lower glycemic index and is rich in fiber — which strengthens its value proposition both at home and for export.
The ministry’s plan also emphasises boosting downstream processing (hilirisasi) and building a value-chain ecosystem from cassava farmers through to flour production and derivative products. One pilot facility, UD Usaha Mandiri in Banjarnegara, currently produces around 60-100 tons of Mocaf per month and already exports overseas, but the goal is to scale to 300 tons monthly to make a more meaningful impact. Beyond scale, challenges remain in standardisation, consistent quality and marketing. If successful, Mocaf could reduce reliance on wheat imports, strengthen food sovereignty and improve incomes for local cassava farmers.
