RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - A fatal agrarian conflict between oil palm farmers and a company in Labuhanbatu Regency, North Sumatra, has renewed calls for stronger protection of smallholder farmers.

The incident, which occurred in mid‑June 2026, has raised concerns about violence in land disputes and the government’s role in safeguarding farmers’ rights and welfare.

The issue surfaced during a public lecture themed “Innovation and Collaboration of the Young Generation Towards Food Self‑Sufficiency” at the University of North Sumatra in Medan on Wednesday, July 15.

A student highlighted the Labuhanbatu case and questioned the government’s preventive measures to ensure farmers would not become victims of violence again.

In response, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasized that resolving agrarian disputes must prioritize farmers’ safety and welfare, not only law enforcement. He urged the North Sumatra Regional Police to handle the case seriously and provide solutions that deliver a sense of justice for smallholder farmers.

“Please provide solutions for small farmers, because they often seek justice,” Minister Amran said, as quoted by Antara. His appeal was met with a brief reply from police representatives: “Ready.”

Minister Amran stressed that agrarian conflict resolution requires collaboration between the government and law enforcement agencies to ensure farmers can safely run their businesses.

Beyond legal protection, the government is also working to improve farmers’ welfare through policies such as raising the price of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) of oil palm and crude palm oil (CPO) to boost incomes and support plantation sustainability.

“We don’t want any Indonesians, especially farmers, to be oppressed. We will fight the mafia alongside the police. It is our primary concern. We raised CPO and FFB prices because we refuse to let 160 million farmers be marginalized,” he said.

He also highlighted the importance of youth participation in voicing aspirations and monitoring agricultural issues, noting that such input enables the government to respond quickly, transparently, and fairly to challenges, including agrarian conflicts.

“This is not the time to hide anything. You can see for yourself who I am as agriculture minister, even on Google. And our President, Prabowo Subianto, is extraordinary,” Minister Amran added. ***