Indonesia ramps up grain production to improve food security

(Aug 20): Indonesia, a resource-rich country but also one of the world’s top importers of wheat and sugar, is boosting production of staple crops as the Covid-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine exposed risks in its food supply chain. Already the biggest palm oil producer, the Southeast Asian nation is trying to increase output of corn and wheat substitutes like sorghum, sago and cassava. The move is fuelled by worldwide labour shortages, soaring energy costs and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which propelled global food prices to records. Food security is a key priority for President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, who is set to host a Group of 20 leaders summit in November. This year, Indonesia has faced inflationary pressure from surging edible oil prices, prompting the government to ban palm oil exports temporarily in one of biggest acts of food protectionism globally since the war erupted in Ukraine. Here are the ways Indonesia is seeking to boost agricultural production: ...