New Zealand has expressed readiness to partner with Indonesia in supporting President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship initiatives: achieving national food self-sufficiency and providing free nutritious meals to schoolchildren across the country. The commitment was made by Todd McClay, New Zealand’s Minister for Trade, Agriculture, Forestry, and Investment, during his official visit to Jakarta on Thursday. McClay praised Indonesia’s ambition to reduce dependency on agricultural imports and applauded the country’s recent surge in domestic food production, particularly rice, which is projected to exceed 35 million tons this year -- up from 30 million tons in 2024. As of end-July 2025, Indonesia had already produced 21.7 million tons of rice, a 14 percent increase compared to the same period last year, according to government data. The government also plans to end corn imports by 2026 as part of its broader food independence agenda. During their bilateral meeting, Indonesia and New Zealand agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on agricultural and food technology cooperation. However, Minister Amran stressed that Indonesia expects the partnership to be part of a balanced trade framework.Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/business/new-zealand-backs-indonesias-push-for-food-selfsufficiency-and-free-school-meals (ICE GIACARTA)

Fonte notizia: Jakarta Globe, 07/08/2025