IPB Rector Alim Setiawan Appointed Deputy Agriculture Minister Hours Before Inauguration
Bogor Agricultural University Rector Alim Setiawan Slamet received a surprise call from Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya on Thursday morning, informing him of his appointment as Deputy Minister of Agriculture just hours before the inauguration ceremony at the State Palace.
IPB Rector Receives Call from Teddy While Hosting Guests, Invited to the Palace to Become Deputy Minister
Alim Setiawan Slamet, the 44-year-old rector of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), was appointed Deputy Minister of Agriculture on Thursday (15/10/2026) with only hours' notice before his official inauguration at the State Palace in Jakarta.
The Demak-born academic received an unexpected call from Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya while hosting guests at his campus that morning. He was in the middle of welcoming assessors for a collaboration project with Universitas Gadjah Mada when the call came through.
"I was just contacted by Mr. Teddy this morning. I was still at campus, receiving assessors, hosting guests, in a collaboration with UGM. He suddenly asked me to come to the Palace. There was a task to be given."
The task turned out to be his appointment as Deputy Minister of Agriculture under Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman, who is serving his third term in the position. Alim joins Lieutenant General Muhammad Saleh Mustafa, who was inaugurated as the ministry's other deputy minister on October 1, 2026.
The deputy minister position had been vacant since July 22, 2026, when Sudaryono left to become Head of the National Nutrition Agency, replacing Nanik Sudaryati Deyang who resigned for health reasons.
Academic Credentials and Agricultural Expertise
Alim brings strong academic credentials to his new role. He assumed the rectorship of IPB University in December 2025, succeeding Arif Satria who was appointed Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency. At 44, he became one of the youngest rectors to lead the prestigious institution.
IPB University ranks 48th globally in Agriculture and Forestry according to the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject, making it the top Southeast Asian university in this field and the only Indonesian institution in the global Top 50 for Agriculture and Forestry.
Alim earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in Agricultural Industrial Technology from IPB before pursuing a doctorate in Agricultural Marketing and Agribusiness at Ehime University in Japan, which he completed in 2017.
His career at IPB includes serving as Director of Student Affairs and Career Development from 2018 to 2023, Head of the Rectorate Secretariat Office from 2013 to 2014, and Vice Rector for Resilience of Resources and Infrastructure from 2022 to 2025. He also served as Assistant Rector from 2007 to 2012.
Focus on Food Sovereignty and Research Implementation
While Alim has not yet received specific directives from Minister Amran, he outlined his commitment to supporting Indonesia's food sovereignty goals and promoting downstream processing of agricultural products.
"Given my background in higher education, I hope that the results of research and innovations from universities can be applied and implemented to support these national strategic programs."
His appointment comes as Indonesia has made significant progress toward food security. In January 2026, President Prabowo Subianto announced that the country had achieved rice self-sufficiency, with national rice production reaching nearly 34.7 million tons in 2025—a 13 percent increase from the previous year. Government rice reserves reached 4.2 million tons.
The agricultural sector also plays a crucial role in supporting President Prabowo's flagship Free Nutritious Meals program, launched in January 2026. The initiative aims to provide daily meals to up to 82.9 million beneficiaries, including schoolchildren, pregnant women, and the elderly, with a budget of Rp 335 trillion (over US$22 billion) allocated for 2026.
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, who made the call to Alim, has served in his position since October 2024. A Lieutenant Colonel in the Indonesian Army, Teddy previously served as an aide to President Prabowo when he was Minister of Defense.
Beyond his university duties, Alim maintains active involvement in professional organizations, including membership in The Agricultural Marketing Society of Japan since 2015 and the Indonesian Management Forum since 2017.