The Red and White Cattle Program Promotes Food Self-Sufficiency and Creates New Job Opportunities
By: Adhika Utama
Indonesia has significant potential to become a strong and sustainable independent beef producer. To achieve this, the government launched the Red and White Cattle Program, an innovative initiative that not only promotes food self-sufficiency but also creates new job opportunities for communities in various regions. This program offers new hope for strengthening food sovereignty while stimulating the local economy.
The government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, initiated the Red and White Cattle Program, a strategic step aimed at achieving food self-sufficiency, strengthening national independence, and opening up job opportunities in the livestock sector.
Through the Red and White Cattle Program, the government is collaborating with universities, research institutions, and local breeders to produce superior breeds that are highly productive, adaptable to tropical climates, and resistant to disease.
The National Development Planning Agency (PPN/Bappenas) is collaborating with PT Moosa Genetika Farmindo and IPB University to develop the Red and White Cattle. Teni Widuriyanti, Secretary of the Ministry of PPN/Bappenas, stated that the Red and White Cattle innovation aims to improve the genetic quality of local Indonesian cattle. It is hoped that these dairy cattle will contribute to food security.
The Red and White Cattle Program is not simply a local cattle breeding project, but rather a national movement that integrates various aspects, from upstream to downstream, from strengthening research and developing livestock technology, enhancing human resource capacity, and creating sustainable markets. The name “Red and White” itself reflects the spirit of nationalism and independence in managing the potential of local resources for the benefit of the Indonesian people.
Leonardo Teguh Sambodo, Deputy for Food, Natural Resources, and Environment at the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, said this innovation could support the government’s three major targets over the next five years: improving the quality of human resources, reducing poverty, and encouraging economic growth.
This program is a crucial step, considering that natural cattle regeneration takes a considerable amount of time. With more advanced scientific and technological approaches, local cattle production can be significantly increased in a shorter time.
Equally important, the Red and White Cattle Program is also designed to create a direct economic impact for communities, particularly in rural areas. Small- to medium-scale cattle farms will receive intensive support in livestock management, feed, animal health, and marketing. The government aims to create thousands of new cattle farmers who will become not only meat producers but also drivers of the local economy.
BRI President Director Hery Gunardi stated that his company supports this program and hopes that the Red and White Cattle Program will not only symbolize food self-sufficiency but also become a driving force for the people’s economy in rural areas. BRI will continue to be at the forefront of supporting the growth of Indonesian farmers and livestock breeders and helping to drive the people’s economy.
One model being developed is a partnership between livestock farmers and cooperatives or village-owned enterprises (BUMDes), which allows for a fair and sustainable profit-sharing system. This scheme also opens up opportunities for the involvement of younger generations who have previously been less interested in the agriculture and livestock sectors. With a technology-based and digitalized approach, such as the use of applications for livestock health monitoring and online marketing, the livestock sector now appears more modern and attractive to millennials and Gen Z.
From a national food security perspective, the success of the Red and White Cattle Program will be a significant milestone in reducing meat imports, which annually consume significant amounts of foreign exchange. With an increasing population and productivity of local cattle, Indonesia has the potential to meet domestic meat needs independently. This not only strengthens food security but also forms part of the government’s broader strategy to build a sovereign and sustainable national food system.
Another positive impact is the creation of new jobs, both directly in the livestock sector and in other supporting sectors such as logistics, meat processing, distribution, and information technology services. In several pilot areas where this program has been implemented, community income increases are starting to be felt. Livestock farmers who previously relied solely on seasonal harvests now have a more stable source of income from cattle farming.
The Red and White Cattle Program also encourages the growth of supporting industries such as animal feed production, animal health services, and the processing of livestock products like milk and meat. This creates a domino effect that strengthens the regional economy and expands employment opportunities, including for women and vulnerable groups. With an inclusive approach, this program serves as a development instrument that focuses not only on production figures but also on social welfare.
In the long term, the Red and White Cattle Program has the potential to become a model for livestock sector development oriented toward food sovereignty, technological innovation, and social justice. This is a concrete manifestation of efforts to realize a more independent, prosperous, and competitive Indonesia. Amidst global dynamics and the challenges of climate change, food independence is no longer an option but a necessity. And the Red and White Cattle Program is a strategic solution to realizing this ambitious goal.
)* Public Policy Observer
