Jakarta, Nov. 21 -- Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman stated that the government has prepared around Rp10 trillion (nearly US$600 million) in grants to open 870 thousand hectares of land for crop cultivation to boost food security and production.

During the 11th National Conference of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) in Jakarta on Friday, he said the initiative is part of President Prabowo Subianto's directive to significantly increase agricultural productivity by optimizing idle land across the country.

He stressed that within the next two years, the government will focus on verified plots ready for cultivation, noting that the expansion program is essential to maintaining stable food prices as a key pillar of national resilie...