Semarang (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s central bank has launched a climate-smart agriculture business guide using biochar technology to boost rice yields, curb emissions, and strengthen national food security, officials said on Monday.

Bank Indonesia introduced the handbook alongside the Coordinating Ministry for Food, the Agriculture Ministry, and Diponegoro University, offering practical guidance for sustainable farming based on climate smart agriculture and biochar technology.

The guide was officially launched in Semarang, Central Java, by the Director of Bank Indonesia’s Inclusive and Green Economic and Financial Department, Kurniawan Agung, who said it aimed to help farmers and agribusinesses adopt sustainable production methods.

He said the handbook detailed the use of biochar, a carbon-rich material derived from biomass waste, which improves soil quality, boosts fertilizer and water efficiency, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and raises rice productivity.

Pilot projects launched in 2025 in Grobogan, Central Java, recorded a 6.3 percent increase in rice yields, alongside improvements in soil quality and more efficient use of agricultural inputs, the central bank said.

Central Java Deputy Head of Bank Indonesia Andi Riena Sari said food security was closely linked to regional economic stability, with volatile food prices affecting inflation and household purchasing power.

She said the handbook was designed as a practical tool for farmer groups and agribusinesses, strengthening cross-sector cooperation to promote sustainable farming and lower emissions across Indonesia’s agricultural sector.

Assistant Deputy for Competitiveness Enhancement of Food Crop Products at Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Food Kus Prisetiahadi said the initiative marked a strategic step to tackle climate change and land constraints, with green innovations such as biosaline, biosilica, and biochar expanding productive farmland.

He said the program was expected to deliver tangible benefits for national food security and improve farmer welfare nationwide.

Published Date: February 10, 2026