Prabowo seeks militarization of food sector

Amid the budget efficiency affecting most government institutions, President Prabowo Subianto plans to develop 100 Territorial Development Battalions to implement his vision of food self-sufficiency. The special battalions will be manned by Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel with expertise in farming and livestock, further confirming the return of the military to civilian affairs after over 25 years of Reform.

Prabowo is obsessed with food self-sufficiency as reflected in his flagship free nutritious meals for schoolchildren all over the country, which expends a huge part of the state budget. Consequently, the budgets earmarked for ministries and government institutions have been slashed to plug the deficit facing the free meals program.

The sustainability of the free nutritious meals program hinges on the availability of food supplies, which the government will achieve through the development of food estates. The formation of 100 battalions is supposed to support the food estate program.

The mass deployment of soldiers to help realize Prabowo’s dream of food security aligns with the Army's territorial expansion plan. The Army has set its sights on the formation of 22 new military regional military commands (Kodam), five of which will be realized this year by upgrading existing military resort commands (Korem). The five new Kodam will oversee South Papua, Central Sulawesi and West Sulawesi, Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan, Riau and Riau Islands, Lampung and Bengkulu.

A spokesman for the Army, Brig. Gen. Wahyu Yudhayana, said the upgrade was inevitable due to the dynamics of the government’s priority agenda, such as the free meals program and food self-sufficiency.

The 100 new battalions will still maintain their primary function as infantry units. However, they will also be assigned additional duties, and divided into several groups responsible for, among other things, production, agriculture and livestock.

Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said the 100 Territorial Development Battalions initiative aims to create security stability while also supporting the welfare of communities in 514 regencies. For every battalion, two reserve component battalions are set to support its territorial development function.

Army chief of staff Gen. Maruli Simanjuntak said that several measures had been and will be enhanced by the Army to take part in managing idle land. The yields from this land will be used to supply food for the free nutritious meal program.

Early this month, Prabowo committed to deploying military regional commanders and police to oversee the grain price. In addition to grain, President Prabowo has identified cassava, sugarcane, sago and corn as critical components of food security. To strengthen his commitment, President Prabowo promises not to import rice throughout 2025.

As if the heavy involvement of the TNI in the food security program is not enough, Prabowo has picked an Army general to fill the chief post of State Logistics Agency (Bulog). Strangely, Maj. Gen. Novi Helmy Prasetya, apart from leading Bulog, has also been promoted to the commanding general of the TNI Academy.

Prabowo’s militarization of the food sector will effectively silence opposition to the government’s strategic program, but on the other hand, it will spread fear among people living near the food estates as happened in Merauke, South Papua.