Indonesia targets protein self-sufficiency by 2026

hartono · Nov 23, 2025

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan (right), Chair of the House of Representatives’ Commission IV Siti Hediati Soeharto (second right), Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono (third left), and chef Suhaidi Jamaan (left) cook shrimp during the peak event of the 2025 National Fish Day celebration in Jakarta, Sunday (Nov. 23, 2025). The event, which featured large-portion shrimp cooking, a carnival, and the distribution of free fish dishes, aimed to raise public awareness of the importance of consuming fish. /ANTARA FOTO/Hafidz Mubarak A/tom.

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government has announced that Indonesia aims to achieve protein self-sufficiency by 2026, stressing that adequate protein intake is essential for improving cognitive abilities, especially among students and young people.

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan made the statement during National Fish Day in Jakarta on Sunday.

Hasan said that average IQ levels in developed countries exceed 109, while Indonesia’s average remains around 90. To close this gap, he said the government must prioritize food self-sufficiency, with a particular focus on increasing national protein availability.

“We must be self-sufficient. Then we provide it on our children’s dining tables and prepare them for the future. That is how we can improve their nutritional status and IQ,” he said.

He assigned the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries to lead efforts toward achieving protein self-sufficiency, highlighting fish as one of the country’s key protein sources.

“Enjoy eating fish. Protein is crucial because it shapes Indonesia’s civilization today and in the future,” he said.

To mark the 12th National Fish Day in 2025, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries organized several activities under the theme “Fish Protein for the Golden Generation of 2045.”

The theme aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s priorities in the 2025–2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan and the second pillar of Astacita, which underscores the importance of national resilience and self-sufficiency in food, energy, and water, along with the development of the creative, green, and blue economies.