How could the national commitment to end deforestation affect Borneo?
New food policy may reduce forest clearing pressure on Borneo The government's commitment, led by Hashim Djojohadikusumo, is to cease expanding food and biofuel production into forest areas and instead utilize degraded land. This national policy shift applies to regions like Central Kalimantan, which is part of Borneo. By prioritizing intensification on existing farmland and degraded land, the policy aims to reduce the operational pressure to clear new forest areas for rice and other crops, although the implementation of this shift remains unclear.
- Effect
- Mild negative
- How direct
- 2 steps, 2 inferred by Brind
- When
- Over the long term
- The story
- Gone quiet
How it reaches Borneo
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Hashim Djojohadikusumo announced that Indonesia will no longer expand food and biofuel production in forest areas and is committed to ending deforestation for this purpose, shifting future increases to degraded land. This commitment follows Indonesia achieving rice self-sufficiency three years ahead of schedule. However, the Forestry Ministry noted that the shift does not clarify the status of existing projects in South Papua and Kalimantan.
The full event2independent outlets -
The policy shift away from clearing forests for new rice fields applies to regions like Central Kalimantan, where previous clearing for the staple crop has been noted. The government is focusing on raising yields on existing farmland in these areas.
No report states this step directly. Brind drew it from the reporting on each side of it, so treat it as an informed guess.
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province of Indonesia
Everything about Central Kalimantan -
Because the national policy mandates using degraded land instead of clearing forests for new food production, the operational pressure to clear forest resources in provinces like Central Kalimantan, which is part of Borneo, is reduced.
No report states this step directly. Brind drew it from the reporting on each side of it, so treat it as an informed guess.
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third largest island in the world by area, located in south-east Asia
Everything about Borneo
Tap any step to see the evidence behind it.
The facts so far
As reported. Each one links to where it comes from.
- Hashim Djojohadikusumo stated the government sees no further need to expand rice cultivation in forest areas.thejakartapost.com
- The government plans to use over 12 million ha of degraded land for food production.thejakartapost.com
- noted Central Kalimantan in the context of farmers struggling to grow rice on acidic peat soil and peat forest areas that had been cleared.thejakartapost.com
- The South Papua National Strategic Project (PSN) has covered an area of 49,787 ha through land expansion and deforestation from 2024 to present.farmlandgrab.org
Why it matters
The commitment is significant because Indonesia has faced severe forest loss, with Auriga Nusantara estimating forest loss surged by 66 percent in 2025 to 433,751 ha. This loss has been linked to food and energy self-sufficiency programs, threatening local ecosystems and the livelihoods of indigenous communities who are often displaced by these large-scale projects.
This policy announcement represents an initial response to the struggles of Indigenous People affected by National Strategic Projects (PSN) in regions like South Papua. However, critics note that such commitments often exist only in theoretical discussions and require concrete action, such as revising regulations to remove food and energy projects from the PSN list, to be effective.
What we don't know yet
- Will the government issue official policies to terminate existing PSN Food and Energy projects in South Papua and other parts of Indonesia?
- How will the government ensure that the use of degraded land does not add pressure on forests and important ecosystems?
Is this still moving?
- Reports
- 3
- Developments
- 2
- Repetition
- 33%
What would change this answer
— Other considerations
Beyond this explainer
Questions worth asking
Ideas the web ties closely to this story that the explainer doesn't mention. These are prompts for your own research: Brind hasn't answered them.
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About Orangutan
If the policy successfully reduces forest clearing in Borneo, how might this specifically benefit endangered species like the orangutan?
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About Sumatra
Given that the policy focuses on Borneo, does the commitment to end deforestation also apply to regions like Sumatra, which face similar environmental pressures?
Related on BrindWan Saiful Wan Jan urges Putrajaya to investigate haze links related to hotspots in Central Kalimantan, South Sumatra, and Jambi.
Explore connected ideas
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Who else could feel it
Other possible ripples from the same event.
Reporting
- thejakartapost.comOct 8
- farmlandgrab.orgOct 8
Keep going
Brind's analysis is written by AI from the reporting linked above and can be wrong. This explainer is a possibility worth considering, not a forecast: steps marked as Brind's reasoning are not stated in the reporting. It is not investment advice; do your own research.