Jakarta, Sept. 22 -- Indonesia's bioethanol development program has the potential to generate approximately eight million permanent jobs across the agricultural and energy sectors, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said Monday.

"We are moving toward energy independence. If this happens, a minimum of eight million permanent jobs will be created," Sulaiman said. "Indonesia is very large, and we are optimistic this can be achieved."

The minister explained that job creation would span the entire bioethanol value chain, from feedstock cultivation and agricultural land management to industrial processing.

To support the industry, the Agriculture Ministry is preparing 1 million to 2 million hectares of land for three primary energy cro...