Description

This article is part of a one-year research project funded by the Project Implementation Unit of the Islamic Development Bank, The University of Jember. The main purpose of this research is to analyse policy models to develop new varieties of rice and other staple crops through genetically modified crops (GM crops) in the agricultural sector in Indonesia. The article discusses legal and political contexts, including historical and present contexts of policy models toward the development of GM crops since the first era of independence until reform, as well as how these policies affect the food self-sufficiency program in the country. The article, firstly, discusses the chaotic land ownership during the Old Order era, followed by the influence of the green revolution toward Indonesian food self-sufficiency, with reference to rice production during the New Order era. The next part mainly analyses the shift of the government policy models toward GM crops, in the midst of a blue revolution introduced by President Joko Widodo in 2014, as well as the massive land conversion in the country. The question about this research is mainly, but not limited to, what extent does the central government develop GM crops, while also managing policies to sustain and intensify their agricultural products in Indonesian national development plans (within the massive land conversion across archipelago). To answer these questions, this research uses doctrinal, desk and empirical research to provide a comprehensive analysis about the historical, recent and future development of GM crops in Indonesia.

About The Speaker

Al Khanif graduated from School of Law, The University of Jember, Indonesia in 2003 prior to pursuing his Master’s Degree at the Center for Religious and Cross-cultural Studies at the Graduate School, Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia in 2004. In 2007, he received his second Master’s Degree (LLM) in International Human Rights Law and Humanitarian Law from Lancaster University. He received his PhD in Law in 2016 from School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University of London with his Thesis titled “Protecting Religious Minorities within Islam in Indonesia: A Challenge for International Human Rights Law and Islamic Law”.

His expertise is on human rights law, Islamic law, Indonesian law and law & development. He has written articles in several Indonesian newspapers such as the Jakarta Post, Kompas, and Jawa Post. His current position is Associate Professor at Faculty of Law, The University of Jember, Director of the Centre for Human Rights, Multiculturalism and Migration (CHRM2), University of Jember and Chairperson of the Indonesian Consortium for Human Rights Lecturers (Serikat Pengajar Hak Asasi Manusia, SEPAHAM), Indonesia (2017-2020). This year, he has been also appointed by Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) as a trainer on Post Legislative Scrutiny (PLS), a review mechanism for the effectiveness of regulations for local parliament members in Indonesia.