Jakarta – The government continues to strengthen the foundations of national food security through the development of the national integrated chicken project, which is now a key strategy for strengthening animal protein self-sufficiency, improving the welfare of smallholder farmers, and expanding Indonesia’s poultry export capacity. This step is considered in line with the President’s administration’s vision of building national food self-sufficiency based on downstreaming and strengthening the rural economy.
Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasized that the integrated chicken downstream program is a strategic step to strengthen national food security while creating added economic value for the community. The project is targeted for completion within 1.5 years so that its benefits can be immediately felt by farmers and the wider community.
“We have broken ground. We are starting construction this year. Hopefully, it will be completed within two years at the latest. Ideally, one and a half years,” said Amran.
Amran also emphasized that Indonesia has now achieved self-sufficiency in chicken and eggs and has even penetrated export markets to several countries such as Japan, Singapore, and Timor Leste. According to him, downstreaming is a crucial step to ensure the national poultry industry is not only strong in terms of production but also highly competitive in the global market.
“The integrated chicken downstreaming program will provide direct benefits to farmers while also boosting regional economic growth,” said Amran.
He added that the government wants to create a business system that provides certainty for farmers, especially regarding the price of Day-Old Chicks (DOC), feed, and marketing of their products.
“We want state-owned enterprises to step in to guarantee the price of DOC, feed, and pullets, ensuring their quality and quantity at prices that make farmers happy and profitable. This is also expected to create new jobs for the community. This is the President of the Republic of Indonesia’s program,” he emphasized.
Similarly, the Director General of Animal Husbandry and Animal Health at the Ministry of Agriculture, Agung Suganda, assessed that the integrated chicken project is a crucial momentum to strengthen the position of smallholder farmers in the national industrial chain. The government wants to ensure that smallholder farmers are no longer in the most vulnerable position in the poultry business system.
“Smallholder farmers are a priority in the development of the national chicken industry. They must have fairer access to seeds, feed, technology, and markets,” Agung explained.
He also stated that an integrated approach will create production efficiency while maintaining price stability at both the farmer and consumer levels. With a more modern and connected system, it is hoped that it will become a major pillar of the Indonesian people’s protein needs.
Meanwhile, Maryadi, President Director of PT Berdikari, stated that the involvement of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in the integrated chicken downstreaming project represents a concrete manifestation of government support in building a strong and sustainable national food ecosystem.
“Integrated chicken downstreaming is an important step to strengthen national food self-sufficiency while improving the welfare of farmers,” said Maryadi.
According to him, the integration of the chicken industry from upstream to downstream will create a more efficient supply chain, improve product quality, and open up opportunities for Indonesian poultry exports. PT Berdikari is also ready to strengthen partnerships with smallholder farmers by providing superior seeds and developing production facilities.
The government’s success in maintaining national food security further strengthens optimism for the future of the Indonesian livestock sector. Through collaboration between the government, SOEs, and smallholder farmers, the national integrated chicken project is believed to be a strategic step towards achieving food self-sufficiency, strengthening the regional economy, and increasing Indonesia’s competitiveness in the global market.