Jakarta, 7 April 2026: ERIA convened an inception meeting for its research project, Strengthening Food Security in Indonesia: Development of a Sustainable, Resilient, and Inclusive Agriculture Supply Chain, held virtually on 7 April 2026.

The meeting brought together a diverse group of experts and stakeholders, including specialists in agri-food supply chain systems from Ibn Khaldun University, Indonesian Center for Agricultural Socio-Economics and Policy Studies (ICASEPS), and Indonesian Agricultural Research Alliance (APPERTANI). Experts in agricultural co-operatives from National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Institute for the Development of Agricultural Cooperation in Asia (IDACA), and Japan’s Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (JA-Zenchu) also participated. Representatives from Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) contributed valuable insights and guidance.

The session marked an important step in fostering collaboration and establishing a shared understanding of the research scope, including target commodities, methodologies, timelines, and expected outputs.

Dr Ade Candradijaya, Director of the International Cooperation Bureau at MOA, highlighted the study’s relevance and urgency, noting its alignment with Indonesia’s efforts to strengthen food security through improved supply chain performance. He emphasised the need to identify key bottlenecks and opportunities while encouraging ERIA to produce actionable policy recommendations that support programme development and promote inclusive participation of smallholder farmers. He also expressed appreciation for ERIA’s leadership and looked forward to continued collaboration.

Mr Masanori Kozono, Project Leader and Senior Policy Fellow at ERIA, explained that the research aims to develop policy recommendations to enhance Indonesia’s food security, in line with the country’s prioritisation of food self-sufficiency under its eight flagship missions. The study will assess supply chain conditions across key agri-food commodities, analyse the role of agricultural co-operatives in Indonesia, and draw lessons from Japan’s agricultural cooperative experience to improve supply chain resilience.

Experts presented their respective study plans, covering staple foods, commercial commodities, livestock, and fisheries. Experts on agricultural cooperatives from Indonesia and Japan also provided their perspectives on the implementation of the study. Participants also discussed the growing impact of geopolitical tensions on global supply chains, particularly in strategic routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. While disruptions have primarily affected oil and related commodities, concerns are increasing regarding fertiliser supply chains.

Recognising the critical importance of fertilisers in agricultural productivity and food security, the team agreed to include a dedicated case study on fertiliser supply chains to support more resilient policy responses.

In close coordination with MOA, ERIA and its partners officially launched the project, with plans to present findings at upcoming ASEAN-related meetings.