100,000 Farmers and Fishermen Welcome President Prabowo at PENAS XVII Gorontalo

An estimated 100,000 farmers and fishermen from across Indonesia converged in Gorontalo to welcome President Prabowo Subianto at the peak of the 2026 National Farmers and Fishermen Week (PENAS XVII). The event, held at the David-Tony Sports Hall in Gorontalo Regency, saw massive participation, with around 55,000 attendees filling the main venue and tens of thousands more observing from outside.

PENAS XVII, which was officially opened by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, has served as a vital hub for fostering relationships, sharing knowledge, and strengthening networks among farmers and fishermen from Sabang to Merauke since its opening. The large turnout underscores the significant hopes the community holds for the progress of Indonesia's agricultural sector and the sustainability of national food self-sufficiency.

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The presence of tens of thousands of farmers and fishermen from all over Indonesia shows the great hope of the people for the development of Indonesian agriculture. They want to meet the President directly, convey their aspirations, and thank him for various policies that favor farmers.

Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman remarked that the enthusiastic participation reflects the public's strong expectations for agricultural development. "The presence of tens of thousands of farmers and fishermen from all over Indonesia shows the great hope of the people for the development of Indonesian agriculture. They want to meet the President directly, convey their aspirations, and thank him for various policies that favor farmers," Sulaiman stated.

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We from Aceh are very happy to be able to attend PENAS. I want to convey directly that farmers are now more helped by various government programs. Hopefully, we can have a dialogue and convey our aspirations to Mr. President.

Sulaiman further elaborated that President Prabowo's policies supporting the agricultural sector have instilled new optimism. These include easier access to fertilizer, favorable paddy prices, accelerated irrigation development and rehabilitation, land optimization, rice field expansion, and the modernization of agricultural machinery. These initiatives are considered foundational for achieving sustainable food self-sufficiency.

Participants shared their excitement, with Yogi, a rice farmer from Aceh Tamiang, Aceh Province, expressing his willingness to travel a long distance to meet the President. "We from Aceh are very happy to be able to attend PENAS. I want to convey directly that farmers are now more helped by various government programs. Hopefully, we can have a dialogue and convey our aspirations to Mr. President," he said. Anani Syarif, a crop and horticulture farmer and breeder from Serang, Banten, echoed this sentiment, calling the experience "very proud" and emphasizing that farmers feel more noticed, with the President's presence providing significant encouragement.

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This is a very proud experience. We feel that farmers are now more noticed. The President's presence among the farmers gives us great encouragement to continue.