Jakarta, Feb. 5 -- The Ministry of Agriculture is strengthening the Rice Crop Insurance (AUTP) program to maintain rice production and protect farmers amid predicted changes in rainfall patterns in early 2026.

Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasized that food self-sufficiency cannot rely solely on increasing production but also on ensuring that farmers are well-protected.

"Farmer protection is the foundation of food self-sufficiency. The state is here to ensure that farmers do not bear risks alone, giving them the certainty to continue planting and producing," he said in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday.

The AUTP program is designed to protect farmers from the risk of harvest failure due to floods, droughts, or pest infes...