inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Member of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Johan Rosihan urged the government to push for a comprehensive policy transformation towards long-term food independence in order to respond to the increasingly heated geopolitical conflict.

He assessed that intense geopolitical conflict between Iran and Israel, with the involvement of the United States, has posed a serious threat to the stability of Indonesia's food security. This situation, he said, demands a quick and strategic policy response from the government.

"The war in the Middle East has now become a global crisis that also threatens the stability of domestic food prices," Johan said in Jakarta, Monday (6/23/2025).

According to him, the global escalation impacts the spike in global crude oil prices. He explained that crude oil prices had once reached 93 US dollars per barrel.

If crude oil prices increase drastically, according to him, food distribution costs will increase, transportation will be disrupted, and farming costs will increase. This means, he believes, will bring greater burden for Indonesian farmers.

Therefore, he encouraged the acceleration of the energy transition in the agricultural sector to be a solution for food security.

In addition, he also mentioned that strengthening local food downstreaming, namely processing raw agricultural products into processed goods with high added value, can increase the income of farmers and business actors.

"Food security is not just an economic or agricultural issue, but a fundamental pillar of national stability and defense. A food crisis can cause profound economic, political, and social instability," he concluded.

(ad/inp/pr/rs)