Food Security in Papua: Challenges and Strategies Towards Self-Sufficiency
Papua , with its 421,981 km² area and abundant fertile land potential, should be the food barn of eastern Indonesia. However, food security in this region remains a serious challenge, amidst dependence on imports and vulnerability to climate change. According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Papua Province, the national food security index for 2025 shows Papua ranked at the bottom, with a stunting rate of 28 percent among children. Nevertheless, the central government under President Prabowo Subianto has launched a series of initiatives, such as the 1 Million Hectare Rice Paddy Program and the distribution of Government Food Reserve (CPP) rice in 2025, to achieve self-sufficiency. This article examines the challenges of food security in Papua, the strategies implemented, and the promising future prospects, with the hope that this region will become a key pillar of Indonesia Emas 2045. Food security encompasses the availability, access, utilization, and stabi...