Jakarta. Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman is committed to achieving food self-sufficiency, a key goal of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's administration. One of his strategies is to attract millennial farmers by offering modern technology and a salary of Rp 10 million ($640), five times the average farmer's wage.

"Our program involves forming a team of 15 millennial brigades to manage 200 hectares of farmland. Each farmer can earn a minimum of Rp 10 million per month, with some earning up to Rp 20 million. That’s higher than a minister’s salary, compared to other jobs offering only Rp 2 million," Andi Amran said in an exclusive interview with B-Universe Media Holdings on Wednesday, adding that the program specifically targets the development of new agricultural lands.

"We can’t force millennials and Gen Z to work in agriculture; we need to create a system where they feel comfortable," he added.

According to data from the Central Statistics Agency in February 2024, the average wage for agricultural workers is around Rp 2.1 million per month, well below the national average of Rp 3.04 million for workers. The agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors employ approximately 40.72 million people, making up 28.6 percent of Indonesia’s workforce.

President-elect Prabowo Subianto has set a target for Indonesia to achieve food self-sufficiency within four years of taking office. Speaking at the BNI Investor Daily Summit at the Jakarta Convention Center, Prabowo emphasized the importance of reducing the country’s reliance on food imports.

"Our survival as a nation depends on food sovereignty. A free nation must be able to produce enough food to feed its people. We cannot continue relying on imported food," Prabowo said not long ago.

Minister Amran stated that his ministry's budget for achieving food self-sufficiency is Rp 1.3 trillion, primarily allocated for seed procurement and the development of new rice fields.

"We're only using Rp 1.3 trillion. The budget for seminars, visits, or official trips has been redirected to help farmers buy seeds, to support food self-sufficiency, and to develop new rice fields in Merauke covering 1 million hectares and 500 hectares in Central Kalimantan," he explained.

Minister Amran emphasized that food self-sufficiency can be achieved again through sustainable and practical programs built on previous leadership.

"We also need to educate the public about agriculture and provide seeds. Most importantly, food is the responsibility of the entire nation, not just the Agriculture Ministry," he concluded