English Document:
Expansion Without Reflection: A Critique of the 20 Million Hectare Land-Clearing Policy
The plan to open 20 million hectares of land is not based on assessments of ecological and social carrying capacity. National oil palm plantation areas are already approaching their threshold, and further expansion risks causing permanent damage to forests and biodiversity while accelerating the climate crisis.
Food and energy estate projects tend to replicate the failure patterns of previous eras. From the Peatland Development Project (PLG), MIFEE, to the Jokowi-era food estate program, these initiatives have failed both agronomically and socially. The government has ignored critical evaluations and continues to rely on outdated approaches that have already proven problematic.
Land expansion does not address the root causes of Indonesia’s food and energy challenges, namely a centralized and unequal food and energy system. Instead, expansion closes off opportunities to improve logistics, distribution, and community participation in building a just and diverse production system.
