Jakarta, November 01, 2025 – The Europe Today: Indonesia has allocated up to 15,000 hectares of land in North Kalimantan for Palestine’s sustainable food, livestock, and agro-industry investment, the Ministry of Agriculture announced on Saturday.
“For us, helping Palestine is not just about food, but about humanity,” said Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman in a written statement. He reaffirmed Indonesia’s enduring commitment to advancing humanitarian-based food cooperation with Palestine, emphasizing that the initiative represents tangible support for the Palestinian people’s right to food and a dignified life.
The minister revealed that he had met with Palestinian Ambassador to Indonesia Zuhair Al-Shun to discuss the initiative, under which Indonesia is offering 10,000–15,000 hectares of investment land in North Kalimantan as an initial step. The area will be developed into an integrated agricultural hub encompassing food crops, livestock, and agro-industrial operations, with participation from state-owned enterprises, private companies, and regional partners across Southeast Asia and other friendly nations.
“Palestine is an important part of this initiative,” Sulaiman noted, adding that Indonesia’s support would extend to horticultural development, technology transfer, and agricultural training. “Indonesia stands with Palestine not only diplomatically, but also through concrete cooperation in the food sector. This is a down-to-earth form of support,” he emphasized.
Ambassador Zuhair Al-Shun expressed appreciation for Indonesia’s commitment, describing the cooperation as “a new milestone that strengthens bilateral solidarity and cross-sector collaboration.” He added that while the visit of the Palestinian technical investment team to Indonesia might be delayed due to the security situation in Palestine, coordination would continue to ensure the project’s readiness once conditions permit.
“I have great respect for this country because I know how hard Indonesia works for us. I’ve been here for eight years. If I’m no longer in office, I won’t leave this country. That’s my promise,” Ambassador Zuhair said, expressing deep gratitude for Indonesia’s unwavering support.
The Indonesia–Palestine cooperation also includes the exchange of sustainable agricultural technologies, such as water-efficient irrigation, desert farming, climate-resilient seeds, and digital-based and hydroponic systems. In addition, Indonesia will expand training quotas for young Palestinian farmers and officials, offering internships at integrated agricultural sites in Kalimantan and Sulawesi.
As a follow-up, both sides plan to establish a Joint Working Committee in early 2026 to finalize the action plan and oversee the timely implementation of the agreed initiatives.
