Deputy Home Minister and Agriculture Minister as Speakers at KPPD

During the Regional Leadership Strengthening Course (KPPD) for Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) Heads nationwide, the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas RI) invited Deputy Home Minister Bima Arya Sugiarto and Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman to deliver briefings to participants at the Military Academy (Akmil) in Magelang on Thursday (4/ 16).

At the event, Bima Arya underscored the need for regional leaders to keep pace with swift and disruptive changes. “Those who cannot read the signs of the times will fall behind. Change is unfolding rapidly today, bringing forward new actors beyond traditional structures,” he said.

Bima Arya noted that current global dynamics are marked by radical disruption and the emergence of new powers, not only in politics but also in the economy and the digital sphere. Such conditions, he said, require regional leadership that is adaptive, responsive and capable of building influence amid shifts in public communication.

He added that increasingly multipolar global geopolitics demands regional leaders adopt strategic perspectives aligned with national policy directions. Indonesia, he said, is currently at a strategic juncture to become a developed country within the next two decades by capitalizing on its demographic bonus. However, this opportunity can only be realized through effective and collaborative governance.

In this regard, Regional Legislative Councils play a decisive role, particularly in ensuring synchronization between central and regional policies through their legislative, budgeting and oversight functions. “DPRD (Regional Legislative Council) is a key actor in ensuring that development programs are effectively implemented in the regions. Its oversight and budgeting functions must respond to public needs while supporting the national agenda,” Bima Arya said.

Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman was also present to provide insight to KPPD Participants on strategic national issues, particularly in the food sector as a pillar of national resilience. He outlined several policies aimed at accelerating food self-sufficiency and improving farmers’ welfare, including lowering fertilizer prices, streamlining fertilizer supply chain regulations from 145 to a single regulation, controlling imports while promoting exports and rehabilitating one million hectares of irrigation.

In his presentation, Amran said Indonesia’s food sector had recorded significant achievements in a relatively short period through cross-ministerial collaboration, regional government efforts and support from various stakeholders. This was reflected in the country’s highest-ever rice stock, reaching 4.8 million tons. “This is the result of our collective efforts, including those of Provincial Legislative Councils, the House of Representatives and Regency Legislative Council Heads across the country. This is our shared achievement,” he said.

He further cited data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which ranks Indonesia second after Brazil in terms of the percentage increase in global rice production, describing it as one of the country’s highest recognitions in food security.

Amran also said the government’s future policy direction would focus on strengthening downstream agricultural industries to increase the added value of national commodities. Strategic commodities such as coconut, palm oil, cocoa, coffee and other plantation products hold significant economic potential if developed through downstream industries. The government is also promoting agriculture-based energy, including biofuel and biodiesel, as part of efforts to achieve national energy independence and strengthen economic sovereignty.

Concluding his remarks, Amran emphasized the importance of the role of regional governments and The Regional Legislative Councils in ensuring the effective implementation of policies so that they deliver tangible benefits for farmers’ welfare and regional economic growth. (MA/SP/MDF)