Jakarta Pushes to Strengthen Food Ecosystem

The Jakarta Provincial Government through the Industry, Trade, Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises (PPKUKM) Agency, is pushing to strengthen the food ecosystem as a driver of economic growth through the Asia Food & Ecosystem Summit, held as part of the Jakarta International Investment, Trade, Tourism & SMEs Expo (JITEX) 2026 at the Jakarta International Expo (JIEXPO) in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.

Collaboration is needed from upstream to downstream

The Asia Food & Ecosystem Summit featured two discussion sessions themed "Food as an Economic Engine: From Food Security to Economic Growth" and "From Farm to Shelf: Creating Value Across the Food Ecosystem". 

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The two sessions discussed strengthening the food ecosystem from upstream to downstream, covering agricultural production, technology development, supply chain strengthening, distribution, expanded market access, and opportunities for international collaboration.

The forum brought together government representatives, industry players, associations, regional-owned enterprises (BUMDs), businesses, and international partners to discuss how the food sector can not only strengthen food security, but also create added value, expand business opportunities, boost product competitiveness, and open up trade and investment opportunities.

Budihardjo Iduansjah, chairman of the Asian Trade, Tourism, and Economics Council (ATTEC) and the Indonesian Shopping Center Tenants and Retailers Association (HIPPINDO), said the Asia Food & Ecosystem Summit was an ATTEC initiative to expand collaboration in the food sector and its ecosystem.

According to him, the F&B sector plays an important role in trade and retail activities in Indonesia.

"Therefore, the development of the sector needs to be supported through forums that bring together businesses, investors, and partners from various countries to create opportunities for cooperation and exports of Indonesian products," he said on Friday (9/18).

He said ATTEC had developed various forums across Asia over the past three years, including a forum held in Guangzhou, China. The network will continue to expand, including through plans to hold a forum in Shenzhen next November.

He hoped support from the central and local governments could continue to be strengthened so that international forums bringing together businesses, investors, and business partners can grow.

"This will allow these activities to have a broader impact on Indonesia's economy, particularly the food and food and beverage industries," he added.

Jakarta PPKUKM Agency Head Elisabeth Ratu Rante Allo explained that through the Asia Food & Ecosystem Summit, JITEX 2026 has become a meeting point for government representatives, industry players, associations, municipally owned enterprises, farmers, businesses, and international partners to develop more concrete opportunities for cooperation.

According to her, the collaboration covers opportunities for business partnerships, investment, technology development, buyer-seller relationships, and access to new markets.

Discussions during the two sessions of the Asia Food & Ecosystem Summit highlighted the need for strong connections between upstream and downstream sectors to strengthen the food sector.

"Strengthening the food ecosystem cannot be done in isolation. Collaboration is needed from upstream to downstream, involving farmers, industry players, distributors, retailers, the government, and international partners," Ratu said.

Ratu explained that increased production needs to be accompanied by improvements in quality, processing, logistics, distribution, market access, technology, and businesses' ability to meet the needs of consumers and international markets.

She hoped that through forums such as the Asia Food & Ecosystem Summit, Jakarta could serve as a meeting point for these various interests to build collaboration, expand market access, and create added value for businesses.

"Through JITEX 2026, the Jakarta Provincial Government continues to connect businesses with markets, investment, technology, and international networks, strengthening Jakarta's role as an economic hub connected to global markets," she emphasized.