Indonesia Says Will Halt Forest Destruction for Rice Paddies
Officials said 2025 rice output topped demand by 3.52 million tonnes, allowing the government to shift from forest clearing to higher-yield farming.
- On Tuesday, Indonesia announced it will halt a project to clear 3 million hectares of forest for rice production, stating it has reached self-sufficiency in the staple grain.
- The government launched this program in 2024 to eliminate reliance on rice imports within five years by converting forest land into paddies.
- Climate envoy Hashim Djojohadikusumo reported on Tuesday that strategic reserve rice stock reached about 5.3 million tonnes, eliminating the need for expanding rice cultivation into forest areas.
- President Prabowo Subianto hailed an "important victory" after domestic production met demand, while Hashim noted the government will focus on "intensification measures" using superior seeds to boost yields.
- Hot, dry conditions associated with the Nino weather phenomenon continue fueling wildfires, and observers warn that rampant forest destruction could jeopardize Indonesia's environmental plans.
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(Hanoi=Yonhap News) Correspondent Park Jin-hyung = As the Indonesian government has achieved self-sufficiency in rice, its staple food, the large-scale reforestation it has been carrying out to secure rice production sites...
Channel News Asia
Indonesia says will halt forest destruction for rice paddies
JAKARTA: Indonesia said on Tuesday (Oct 6) it will halt a project to raze several million hectares of forest to clear land for rice production, saying it had reached self-sufficiency levels of the staple grain.The government launched a programme in 2024 to stop relying on rice imports within five years by cle
Government to halt clearing forests, boost output from existing paddies - Economy
The President's climate and energy envoy told a sustainability forum on Monday that the country had achieved rice self-sufficiency three years earlier than planned, so no additional forests would be cleared to make way for paddies.
The government stated that rice self-sufficiency could be achieved without clearing 2 million hectares of new land as previously planned in the swampy areas of Papua and Kalimantan.
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