Revealing the import dilemma and attributing factors to Indonesia’s inability to achieve soybean self-sufficiency: a bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review

Persistent barriers have long hindered Indonesia's quest for self-sufficiency in soybeans, leading to continued reliance on imports. Despite significant demand, domestic production remains inadequate. This study aims to comprehensively assess Indonesia's soybean production and import system, identifying factors behind low productivity and high import dependency while outlining future perspectives for self-sufficiency. Utilizing bibliometric analysis and literature review (2020–2024), the study reveals key research areas and underlying challenges. It highlights the importance of policy assessment, plant growth enhancement, and soybean-based biodiesel as focal points for researchers, reflecting socio-economic and agricultural factors influencing imports. Recent government initiatives concentrate to expand soybean cultivation and enhance farmer training to boost productivity. Current technologies are limited to superior plant varieties, cropping systems, and biofertilizers. Integrating policy strategies with these technologies offers a pathway to self-sufficiency. Proposed strategies encompass optimizing land use, utilizing biofertilizers and organic fertilizers, adopting Legowo three cultivation techniques, and establishing equitable soybean production and trading systems. These efforts can also support research on soybean-based biodiesel. By synthesizing existing knowledge, this research provides insights for policymakers and stakeholders to sustainably enhance domestic soybean production and reduce import dependency, offering a comprehensive approach to addressing Indonesia's import dilemma.