Lessons from 1984 Food Self-Sufficiency for Prabowo Era

Abstract

This study examines Indonesia’s 1984 food self-sufficiency program and identifies strategic lessons relevant to agricultural policy under the administration of President Prabowo Subianto. The 1984 program achieved food self-sufficiency in the short term through intensive agricultural production, extensive input subsidies, irrigation development, and strong government intervention. However, its implementation also generated significant challenges, including fiscal pressures affecting poverty alleviation, environmental degradation, and declining agricultural productivity in the long term. This study aims to analyze the success, limitations, and policy relevance of the 1984 food self-sufficiency program within the context of current agricultural policy. A historical and comparative policy analysis approach was employed. Data were collected through a literature review of government documents, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports, and relevant academic and policy publications. The research process involved collecting and assessing the authenticity and relevance of primary and secondary sources, interpreting historical evidence, and comparing policy similarities and differences between the 1984 and Prabowo administrations. The findings indicate that the experience of the 1984 program provides important policy lessons for contemporary food self-sufficiency efforts. The Prabowo administration seeks to accelerate food self-sufficiency through regulatory reforms, fertilizer subsidy revitalization, irrigation pumping, new paddy-field development, and food estate programs. Although contemporary conditions differ substantially due to climate change, land constraints, technological developments, and increasingly complex global markets, the fundamental principles of intensive production and institutional support remain relevant. However, these principles should be adapted through sustainable, technology-driven, and inclusive approaches to ensure long-term food security and agricultural productivity.