In the steamy lowlands of Merauke, South Papua, bulldozers still chew through ancient rainforest, felling trees that have stood for centuries. But just over 1,500 miles away in Jakarta, top officials are declaring a new era: Indonesia no longer needs to cut down forests to grow rice. The country has reached rice self-sufficiency three years ahead of schedule, said Presidential Special Envoy for Climate and Energy Hashim Djojohadikusumo on October 6. That means the government no longer plans to clear 2 million hectares — nearly 5 million acres — of forest for rice farms, a plan once seen as one of the world’s largest deforestation projects.
Instead, future food and biofuel production will shift to degraded land, said President’s Special Envoy for Multilateralism and International Trade Mari Pangestu. This is a hopeful turn for a country that has long struggled to balance development with forest protection. Indonesia’s rainforests are home to orangutans, clouded leopards, and thousands of Indigenous people who depend on the land for their way of life. But the promise rings hollow for some, because the government hasn’t yet stopped the machines already at work.
Even as officials made their announcement, the Ministry of Forestry had already mapped out 5.67 million hectares — about 14 million acres — of forest that could be opened for food, energy, and other uses. In Papua and Central Kalimantan, corporate bulldozers continue to clear natural forests for rice fields, sugarcane, and oil palm. Monitoring data from TheTreeMap shows that around 11,500 hectares — more than 28,000 acres — of wetland forest have already been cleared in areas targeted for food estates.
Environmental groups warn that words aren’t enough. "The government has not yet abandoned a development paradigm that places forest areas as spaces to fulfill food and energy needs," said Musdalifah Jamal of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi). Franky Samperante of the Pusaka Foundation adds that commitments to sustainability often vanish when it comes to action. Indigenous communities in Papua have reported harassment and criminalization as their ancestral lands are taken over.
For real change to happen, policies must catch up with promises. "Positive statements must be implemented, including by changes in decrees and other policies," said Glenn Hurowitz of Mighty Earth. Nadia Hadad of MADANI Berkelanjutan stresses that climate progress isn’t measured by speeches, but by where money and laws go.
Now, all eyes are on Jakarta. Will the government rewrite its forest-use plans? Will it halt ongoing clearing? The answer will tell the world whether Indonesia is truly turning a page — or just changing its tone.