Realizing a Strong Dairy Industry, FEM IPB University Holds IndoDairy National Inception Meeting
In an effort to strengthen the dairy and dairy sector in Indonesia, the Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM) IPB University held the IndoDairy National Inception Meeting in Jakarta, recently.
The event was held in collaboration with Central Queensland University, Melbourne University, Adelaide University, Diponegoro University, and the Center for Agricultural Socio-Economics and Policy, Ministry of Agriculture.
Themed “Synergy and Collaboration for the Advancement of the Dairy and Farming Sector in Indonesia”, the event aimed to encourage the transformation of the Indonesian dairy sector towards sustainability, innovation and global competitiveness.
Dr Lukytawati Anggraeni, Vice Dean of FEM IPB University for Resources, Cooperation, and Development (SKP) said, “Synergy between farmers, industry, academics, and government is important to create a resilient dairy industry.”
Optimism was also expressed by Maria Ludwina, Assistant Manager for Indonesia of the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). She hopes this research will support the development of dairy cooperatives and national programs.
Meanwhile, National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) representative Noor Avianto, SP, MAgr, stated that fresh milk demand is projected to reach 3.3 million tons by 2035. “The government’s free milk program is both an opportunity and a challenge to meet this demand,” he said.
On the occasion, Assoc Prof David McGill, IndoDairy Project Leader from Central Queensland University, explained the activities and initial findings of the IndoDairy 2 study.
“We use the Participatory Rural Appraisal method to explore the constraints faced by cooperatives and farmers. This data will be the basis for designing more effective interventions in the field,” he explained.
FEM IPB University Professor Prof Sahara, who serves as IndoDairy’s In Country Coordinator, underlined the important role of cooperatives in the dairy value chain.
“From the data obtained, around 90 to 95 percent of the milk milk milked by farmers is delivered through cooperatives. Therefore, the role of cooperatives is very important in the value chain of the dairy industry. The parties involved must collaborate to improve the value chain of the dairy industry in Indonesia,” he said.
Furthermore, panel discussions were held to strengthen the insights of developing the national dairy and dairy sector, including proposals for intensive education for farmers from the Indonesian Dairy Cooperative Association (GKSI) represented by Unang Sudarma, as well as Training of Trainers (ToT) methods from the Ministry of Industry to accelerate the transformation of the dairy sector.
From an industry perspective, Rik-Rik Mokhamad Rizki from PT Frisian Flag Indonesia highlighted the importance of continuous mentoring to ensure farmers can implement best practices.
This is in line with the cooperative modernization program expressed by Dani Hamdan from the Ministry of Cooperatives, with a target of modernizing 500 cooperatives by the end of 2024, including dairy cooperatives.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture through Drh Makmun, conveyed the importance of the Free Nutritious Meal program that supports the use of local fresh milk, as well as the plan to import 200.000 dairy cows by 2025.
Institutional support was also emphasized by Darto Wahab, Assistant Deputy for Food and Agriculture at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs to ensure the sector roadmap is effective.
The event closed with a call for comprehensive synergy from upstream to downstream. “The findings of IndoDairy 2 are expected to have a real impact on farmers, cooperatives and industry to create a sustainable and competitive ecosystem for Indonesia’s dairy industry,” concluded Prof Dr Sahara. (*/Nr) (IAAS/RUM)
