Indonesia Signals Retreat From Massive Forest-to-Farm Conversion Plan
Indonesia has indicated it may abandon a controversial initiative to clear millions of acres of rainforest in New Guinea and Borneo for rice and sugarcane. Officials said the country reached rice self-sufficiency early and that future food and biofuel crops would be grown on degraded land. Environmental groups remain cautious, noting that current clearing has not been halted and that policy changes are still needed.
Indonesia’s conversion effort began in 2023, targeting roughly 7 million acres of New Guinea rainforest for rice and biofuel sugarcane, with a parallel 3-million-acre project in Borneo. The stated goal was reducing reliance on imported food and energy.
Officials now say rice self-sufficiency arrived three years early, so forest expansion for rice is unnecessary and future crops can use degraded land. Yet last year’s forest losses hit an eight-year high, and it remains unclear whether ongoing clearing in New Guinea and Borneo will stop or when.
If the shift is implemented, communities in New Guinea and Borneo could face less pressure from new plantation clearing, while Indonesia’s food and biofuel plans may increasingly target degraded land. Environmental groups may still judge the change by whether current clearing stops and policies are enforced. Farmers, downstream industries, and consumers could also be affected as rice and energy priorities evolve, though the practical reach of the announced retreat remains uncertain.