Indonesia and Japan Explore Agricultural Technology Cooperation to Combat Climate Change
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesia and Japan have expressed their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation in agricultural technology as part of efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change, Indonesian Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman announced during a press conference on Tuesday.
The renewed collaboration was underscored by a bilateral meeting in Jakarta between Minister Sulaiman and Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF), Eto Taku. Both parties acknowledged the growing urgency to develop climate-resilient agriculture amid rising global temperatures.
“Currently, the most important aspect is cooperation in technology to mitigate the risks of climate change,” Minister Sulaiman stated. He noted that numerous countries are facing mounting challenges in the agricultural sector due to erratic weather patterns and extreme heat, which negatively affect productivity and farmers’ livelihoods.
Minister Eto echoed these concerns, with both leaders highlighting the shared experience of production declines caused by high temperatures and climate-induced stress.
Despite these challenges, Minister Sulaiman emphasized Indonesia’s comparative advantage in having fertile land and abundant water resources, positioning the country well for the development of modern agricultural clusters. He said that the two nations are also exploring the possibility of bilateral trade in agricultural products as part of the broader cooperation framework.
“In addition to technology, we discussed trade. Indonesia has a surplus of crude palm oil (CPO), while Japan has an excess supply of cow’s milk. We offered CPO and requested Japanese milk for Indonesia, as our domestic supply remains insufficient. The technical details of this trade cooperation will be discussed later,” Sulaiman explained.
The minister also noted growing interest from regional partners, including Malaysia, in learning from Indonesia’s agricultural strategies for food security. During a statement on April 27, he revealed that Malaysia had expressed a desire to study Indonesia’s approach to managing food reserves in the face of climate change.
“Malaysia is struggling to maintain productivity due to climate change. They want to learn about seedlings, water management, shallow and deep wells, and pump irrigation. Their team plans to visit Indonesia to study these practices,” he said.
The cooperation between Indonesia and Japan is expected to serve as a model for regional collaboration in building climate-resilient and technologically advanced agricultural systems.
