Speaking with great enthusiasm, Minister Amran delivered a keynote speech before thousands of students and members of the UNS academic community, expressing deep appreciation for the university, which he referred to as his “second home” and a symbol of Indonesia’s optimism toward achieving food self-sufficiency.

In his remarks, Minister Amran expressed pride in UNS’s research and analytical capabilities, which he said are comparable to those of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“UNS is even greater than the USDA. Last March, I received an award from UNS, and in April, the USDA predicted Indonesia’s rice production would reach 34.6 million tons. Today, “Statistics Indonesia” released the result—34.7 million tons. That means UNS is on par with the United States,” he said, greeted by enthusiastic applause.

Minister Amran emphasized that confidence in national food independence is not merely a slogan but the result of hard work, synergy, and collective optimism.

“Those who truly believe Indonesia can be food self-sufficient are the President, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, and the Rector of UNS. And today, it’s proven—99 percent of our goal has been achieved. Within a month, we will reach full self-sufficiency,” he declared.

He also expressed special gratitude to the UNS Rector for his steadfast belief in Indonesia’s agricultural potential.

“Thank you, Mr. Rector. This university is our second home. We come here often, and a year ago, I received an award from UNS. At that time, the Rector was confident we would achieve self-sufficiency—and today, his intuition has been 99 percent right,” Amran said.

Minister Amran encouraged students to develop a fighter’s mindset and the courage to dream big and act swiftly, reminding them that change only happens when ideas are followed by concrete action.

“Ideas without action are zero. Don’t just dream—take action. Change your mindset today, because changing your mindset means changing the world,” he urged.

He also highlighted the importance of agricultural downstreaming, explaining the concept in a relatable way for students. Using coconut as an example, he illustrated how its value can increase a hundredfold when processed into products such as virgin coconut oil (VCO) or coconut milk powder.

“That’s what downstreaming means. Don’t export raw materials —process them domestically first, then export. If we do that, Indonesia will become a major global force,” he stressed.

In March 2025, UNS had awarded Minister Amran the UNS Award “Parasamya Anugraha Dharma Krida Upa Bogha” in recognition of his outstanding contribution to advancing national agricultural self-sufficiency and development. The award was presented by Rector Prof. Hartono during the university’s 49th Anniversary Open Senate Meeting.

At the time, Prof. Hartono stated that the award honors figures of integrity, leadership, and remarkable achievement, especially those strengthening national food security and fostering collaboration between academia and government.

Minister Amran concluded his address with an inspiring message, urging students to become an optimistic generation ready to shape Indonesia’s future through innovation and real action.

“Change your mindset, and you can change the world. Once you have an idea—act on it immediately. Don’t wait, because the only one who can change your life is yourself,” he said with conviction.

The event “Indonesia Punya Kamu: Power Up, Charge Your Future” at UNS became an inspiring momentum that reignited students’ enthusiasm to contribute to national development, particularly in the agricultural sector, which is now showing remarkable progress toward achieving full rice self-sufficiency.

The event also supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), Goal 4 (Quality Education), and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). HUMAS UNS

The post “Dream Big, Act Fast”: Minister Amran Inspires UNS Students, Shares Optimism for Indonesia’s Food Self-Sufficiency appeared first on Universitas Sebelas Maret.