Indonesia cancels forest-clearing rice expansion after achieving self-sufficiency

Indonesia declared the suspension of a large-scale project that would have cleared millions of hectares of forest for rice cultivation, citing that the country has attained self-sufficiency in the staple grain. The initiative, started in 2024, aimed to eliminate rice imports within five years by converting three million hectares of forest land. President Prabowo Subianto hailed the development as an important victory after data showed domestic output satisfied national demand.

Climate envoy Hashim Djojohadikusumo reported that the strategic rice reserve now holds roughly 5.3 million tonnes and that the government will concentrate on intensification strategies, including the use of higher-quality seeds, rather than further land conversion. The exact amount of forest already replaced by paddies was not disclosed. Indonesia, one of the world’s most forested nations, seeks to become a net carbon sink by 2030, a goal threatened by ongoing deforestation, logging and El Niño-driven wildfires that have also affected neighboring Malaysia and Singapore. The NGO Mighty Earth welcomed the decision, viewing it as a chance to invest in restoring 12 million hectares of forest, peat and other ecosystems.