Jakarta. State-run fertilizer company Pupuk Indonesia has partnered with the Attorney General's Office (AGO) for the food self-sufficiency program.

Pupuk Indonesia will team up with the AGO to support the management of confiscated land by the latter for rice cultivation. Both sides inked a cooperation agreement with the state logistics company Bulog at the AGO's office in Jakarta on Tuesday.

As part of the three-year agreement, the AGO will coordinate the provision of the agricultural land, while Pupuk Indonesia helps provide the fertilizers. The Agricultural Ministry will ensure the availability of  seeds, agricultural facilities, and other infrastructure. They will also train the farmer groups. Bulog will purchase the rice produced from this program.

Reda Manthovani, the deputy attorney general for intelligence, said that the cooperation would help Indonesia be self-sufficient in food production by 2027 as envisioned by President Prabowo Subianto.

"The government seeks to stop importing rice starting in 2025. The government has also set a target of absorbing 70 percent of the total 3 million tons of grain set by the National Food Agency," Reda was quoted as saying in a press statement. 

The AGO has launched the so-called independent food prosecutor program that sees the use of land seized by the state from corruption and other crimes. A pilot project is underway which sees the use of assets related to the major corruption case involving the military insurer Asabri in Bekasi. There are 414 plots of land spanning approximately 3.3 million square meters or over 330 hectares.

"It is possible that in the future we will utilize the state-confiscated assets across Indonesia. We will plant rice over these lands to meet our national demand," Reda said.

Pupuk Indonesia's president director Rahmad Pribadi made some estimates on the expected harvested rice. If at least each hectare over the 330-hectare land produces 5 tons of rice, this would bring the total production to 1,650 tons in each harvest season.

"We welcome this program. We focus on the on-farm activities, including the planting process by providing the fertilizers and pesticides. Bulog will then purchase the harvests. We will fully support this program to support the national food security goal," Rahmad said.

The cooperation also includes training farmer and community groups through seminars and discussions. Other aspects of the agreement also includes data exchange for early detection of potential legal problems, human capital development, and other technical matters.

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