Indonesia says it will halt forest destruction for rice paddies
Indonesia has announced that it will stop plans to clear millions of hectares of forest for rice cultivation, marking a significant shift in its approach to food security and land use.
The government launched the ambitious programme in 2024 with a five-year goal of reducing Indonesia’s dependence on rice imports. The plan initially involved opening up around three million hectares of land for rice paddies.
But Indonesia now says the expansion is no longer necessary. After domestic rice production reached levels capable of meeting national demand, the government says it can focus on improving productivity rather than clearing more forests.
The decision is particularly important for Indonesia because the country is home to some of the world’s most valuable tropical forests. These forests play a major role in absorbing carbon dioxide and helping limit the impact of climate change.
Indonesia has also set a target of becoming a net carbon sink by 2030, meaning its forests and other land-use sectors would absorb more carbon than they release.
Environmental observers have warned that continued deforestation for agriculture and logging, combined with recurring forest and peatland fires, could make that target much harder to achieve.
President Prabowo Subianto described the country’s progress in rice production as an “important victory” after national figures showed that domestic production had covered the country’s annual rice requirements.
Climate envoy Hashim Djojohadikusumo said Tuesday that Indonesia’s strategic rice reserve had reached approximately 5.3 million tonnes.
“The government sees no further need for expanding rice cultivation areas in the so-called forest areas,” Hashim said, adding that future efforts would concentrate on increasing yields from existing agricultural land.
The government plans to improve productivity through measures such as the use of higher-quality seeds and other agricultural techniques rather than expanding rice cultivation into forested areas.
It remains unclear exactly how much forest had already been converted into rice paddies under the programme before the government decided to stop further expansion.
According to Indonesia’s National Food Agency, the country produced approximately 34.71 million tonnes of rice in 2025, compared with annual domestic demand of around 31.19 million tonnes.
The development comes against the backdrop of Indonesia’s long-running struggle with forest fires and haze. Fires affecting forests and peatlands have repeatedly sent thick smoke across borders into neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore.
Periods of hot and dry weather associated with El Niño can intensify the risk of such fires, while land clearing activities have also been linked to outbreaks.
Indonesia’s decision does not end the wider challenges surrounding deforestation, food security and climate change. But shifting from forest expansion to improving agricultural productivity could represent an important step toward balancing the country’s need for food with the protection of its forests.