Strategic transformations for realizing food security in Indonesia

Abstract

Background: Indonesia is experiencing a significant conversion of agricultural land. Along with increasing development activities, economic growth, and population expansion, the demand for land has risen sharply. Meanwhile, land availability remains essentially unchanged. This discrepancy has led to various conflicts of interest, ultimately resulting in the widespread conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural uses. Climate change and the demographic transition within the agricultural sector also pose new challenges to achieving food security. This policy paper examines Indonesia’s food security policy strategies, with a particular focus on the sustainability of the national food system. Methods: The approach used in the preparation of this policy paper is qualitative with a literature review as its primary method. Findings: The findings includes an analysis of the existing conditions, the challenges faced, and strategic policy recommendations to achieve sustainable food security. Conclusion: Indonesia has made progress in food and nutrition security, yet it continues to face challenges such as climate change, demographic transitions, and urbanization. To address these issues, transformative strategies are needed, including sustainable agriculture, youth empowerment, and the development of technology-based urban farming systems. Novelty/Originality of this article: This policy paper presents a novel integrative approach by combining climate adaptation, youth empowerment, and urban agriculture as a unified strategy to achieve sustainable food security in Indonesia. It distinguishes itself by using a system thinking framework to analyze food security challenges and formulate cross-sectoral policy recommendations that address environmental, demographic, and urbanization pressures simultaneously.