President Prabowo hails farmers, fishers as backbone of Indonesia

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday described farmers and fishers as the backbone of Indonesia, pledging continued government support for their welfare and the country's food security.

Speaking before representatives of tens of thousands of farmer and fisher groups at the 17th National Week of Leading Farmers and Fishers Contact (KTNA) in Gorontalo, Prabowo thanked them for their contribution to national food production.

"Farmers and fishers are truly the backbone of this republic," Prabowo said.

He praised their dedication and resilience, saying they had continued to demonstrate strong commitment as food producers despite ongoing challenges.

Prabowo said his administration would continue working to improve the welfare of farmers and fishers across the country.

"The government I lead works hard every day. We continue working day and night to ensure the people's money is protected and that we become masters in our own home," he said.

The president delivered the remarks at the David-Tony Sports Center in Limboto, Gorontalo District, during the 17th National Week of KTNA, a five-day event running from June 20 to June 25.

During the event, Prabowo received the Adhi Bhakti Tani Nelayan Maha Utama Gold Medal from National KTNA. The award was presented by National KTNA Chairperson Yadi Sofyan Noor.

Several senior officials accompanied the president, including Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman, Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, Foreign Affairs Minister Sugiono, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, and Deputy Agriculture Minister Sudaryono.

Military Commander General Agus Subiyanto and National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo also attended the event.

Earlier, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said the agricultural sector contributed 12.67 percent to Indonesia's gross domestic product in the first quarter of 2026, making it the third-largest contributor to the national economy.

The remarks came after Statistics Indonesia data showed agriculture among the five largest contributors to GDP. Manufacturing accounted for 19.07 percent, trade 13.28 percent, agriculture 12.67 percent, construction 9.81 percent, and mining 8.69 percent.

The figures underscore agriculture's important role in supporting economic stability and growth in Southeast Asia's largest economy.

Statistics Indonesia previously reported that the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector recorded year-on-year growth of 10.52 percent in the first quarter of 2025, marking its first double-digit expansion in 15 years.

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Translator: Genta Tenri Mawangi, Martha Herlinawati Simanjunta

Editor: M Razi Rahman

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