Jakarta, IO – Indonesia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) held the 2026 National Dialogue of the Indonesian Science, Technology, and Industry Convention (KSTI) as a strategic forum to strengthen collaboration among the government, universities, industry players, and the public in shaping higher education’s contribution to the nation’s development agenda.
The event underscored universities as key partners in advancing Indonesia’s food security goals. This message was reinforced by the Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman, who emphasized the crucial role higher education institutions have played in helping Indonesia achieve rice self-sufficiency.
Speaking during the forum’s Agriculture Session on Saturday (27/6/2026), Minister Amran credited universities as one of the driving forces behind the country’s agricultural success.
“Without the support of our universities, we would not have achieved self-sufficiency, something many once thought was impossible,” he said.
Collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and Indonesia’s higher education ecosystem has delivered historic achievements. National rice reserves have now reached 5.1 million tons, surpassing the storage capacity of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), which stands at 3 million tons. Meanwhile, the Farmers’ Terms of Trade Index (NTP) has climbed to 127, the highest level in 34 years, and farmer welfare growth has reached 5.74%, the strongest performance recorded in the past 25 years.
Agricultural innovation has also produced impressive results. Through joint research initiatives between universities and government institutions, new rice cultivation technologies have achieved yields of up to 12.4 tons per hectare, more than double Indonesia’s national average of 5.5 tons per hectare. Trials conducted across 14 provinces have consistently delivered yields of at least 9 tons per hectare.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projects Indonesia’s rice production will reach 38.6 million tons in 2026.
“This achievement does not belong to a single ministry. It belongs to the Indonesian people, to the nation’s brightest minds, including all the universities represented here,” Minister Amran stated.
The shift from traditional farming methods to modern agriculture has become the main part of the government’s strategy, aligning closely with Kemdiktisaintek’s mission to bring university research and innovation into productive sectors. Agricultural mechanization has already reduced production costs by up to 50 percent while doubling harvest yields compared to conventional methods.
Kemdiktisaintek is also encouraging greater use of science- and data-based approaches in agricultural policymaking. One notable example is the reform of Indonesia’s subsidized fertilizer distribution system. By streamlining 145 regulations—including approval requirements involving 12 ministers, 38 governors, and 514 district heads—the government significantly improved efficiency. The reform helped reduce fertilizer prices by 20 percent without increasing state spending, while new fertilizer plants were developed without additional allocations from the national budget.
Universities have been at the heart of this transformation. Minister Amran specifically highlighted the contributions of institutions such as Bogor Agricultural University (IPB University), Hasanuddin University, Andalas University, Gadjah Mada University, and Bandung Institute of Technology, along with many other universities that have supported Indonesia’s journey toward food self-sufficiency.
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Opening the forum, Higher Education, Science, and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto said KSTI 2026 was designed to generate strategic recommendations on how universities can further accelerate the implementation of national priority programs.
“Under the direction of President Prabowo Subianto, the government continues to move swiftly in addressing national development challenges. In that spirit, Kemdiktisaintek and universities across Indonesia are strengthening the role of campuses as strategic partners in delivering solutions through science, research, and innovation,” he said.
KSTI 2026 also serves as an important milestone for strengthening collaboration between universities and Indonesia’s strategic food sectors. Looking ahead, research and innovation efforts will increasingly focus on commodities that still rely heavily on imports, including garlic, soybeans, and beef. Through stronger partnerships across the science, technology, and higher education ecosystem, Indonesia hopes to develop sustainable solutions that will further strengthen national food independence. (est)
