infoSAWIT, JAKARTA - The government's plan to open 20 million hectares of forest as part of the Food Estate project continues to face criticism from various stakeholders. Iola Abas, National Coordinator of Pantau Gambut, stated that this allocation could lead to significant ecological disasters. According to Pantau Gambut's 2023 data, of the 3.3 million hectares of land to be cleared, 407,267 hectares are located within Peat Hydrological Units, with 84% designated for protective functions.
“Palm oil monoculture not only causes deforestation but also leads to hydrological damage, massive emissions release, flooding, and drought,” Abas stated in an official statement reported by InfoSAWIT on January 26, 2025. Further evidence was found in Central Kalimantan, where forest fires in 2023 burned 91,352 hectares of land, including areas designated for the Food Estate.
Criticism has also been directed at the governance of the palm oil industry, which is seen as rife with corruption. For instance, allegations of misappropriation of administrative fines by officials from the Ministry of Forestry and Environment have surfaced. Uli Arta Siagian from WALHI Nasional added that palm oil expansion often triggers agrarian conflicts, leading to the criminalization of indigenous communities.
The expansion of monoculture land is deemed to have significant impacts on ecological disasters. WALHI data indicates that between 2015 and 2022, hydrometeorological disasters such as floods, landslides, and extreme weather accounted for 90% of total disasters in Indonesia. During this period, 10,191 lives were reported lost or missing, while 43 million others were affected. The economic losses from these disasters reached Rp 101.2 trillion.
Franky Samperante, Director of the Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation, criticized the Food Estate project approach for neglecting genuine agrarian reform. He argued that sustainable solutions should focus on small farmers and indigenous communities rather than on a corporate-driven agricultural model that is land-hungry.
The Food Estate project, which focuses on rice or specific commodities, is considered dangerous for national food security. Refki Saputra, Forest Campaigner for Greenpeace Indonesia, emphasized that reliance on a single type of food would repeat the mistakes of the New Order regime. He also reminded that the climate crisis has slowed global agricultural production by 21%, with Indonesia experiencing a more severe decline in productivity of 30-33%.
From an economic perspective, Tata Mustasya, Executive Director of Sustain, stated that preserving forests is an investment in human welfare. Deforesting 20 million hectares of forest would only increase global risks, such as extreme weather and loss of biodiversity.
With ample evidence of past failures and significant threats looming ahead, the government is urged to reassess the Food Estate project plan and focus more on sustainable approaches that respect local community rights and protect ecosystems. (T2)
