The recent clash between Jokowi’s Food Estate project and Anies Baswedan’s sharp criticism has certainly turned heads. But fear not, for the Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman has boldly stepped up to address these criticisms. To him, the food estate program is not a matter for debate. No, it is a matter of action and progress. He firmly believes that successful food estate programs of the past speak for themselves, and so the focus should be on working towards a better future in agriculture.

And work they have. Amran proudly shared the success of the food estate program, boasting about the 600 hectares of lush land now thriving with corn and cassava. He emphasized the importance of action over debate and proudly presented evidence of the program’s success – a flourishing corn crop only two months into its growth.

As for the issue of the corn plantation in the Kalimantan Tengah Food Estate, Amran set the record straight. The use of media tanam pot or polybag was simply part of an experimental climate adaptation process. There was no truth to the rumor that the crops were grown in pots. Instead, the ministry was conducting climate adaptation trials with new seedlings, which clearly yielded successful results.

Expressing his vast role as the Minister of Agriculture, Amran dismissed the criticisms surrounding the mere hundreds of hectares of the food estate as trivial. To him, managing millions of hectares of land was the true task at hand.

In the midst of this heated debate, Anies Baswedan raised the issue once more during the third Presidential Debate. He claimed that Jokowi’s Food Estate Project had faltered, pinpointing the 600 hectares of untended cassava fields as evidence.

Anies also revealed that the land dedicated to the Food Estate was far greater than the official statement of 320 hectares – a staggering 340,000 hectares, to be precise.

The debate around the Food Estate Project has ignited a fiery conversation about the success and failure of large-scale agricultural initiatives. As the debate continues to rage, it is crucial to consider all perspectives and evidence to gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation. One thing is clear – both proponents and critics of the Food Estate Project are deeply passionate about securing the future success and sustainability of agriculture in Indonesia.