POULTRYINDONESIA, Jakarta – The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan), in collaboration with the Ministry of Cooperatives (Kemenkop) and HKTI (Indonesian Farmers Association), held an audience to discuss the “Merah Putih” Village/Sub-district Cooperative Layer Chicken Program (KDKMP) on Monday (2/3) at the Ministry of Agriculture Headquarters in Jakarta. This meeting reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening poultry self-sufficiency while encouraging the equalization of egg production outside of Java.

Agung Suganda, Director General of Livestock and Animal Health (PKH) at the Ministry of Agriculture, stated that in addition to fulfilling chicken meat and egg needs for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, this initiative aims to demonstrate the independence of the poultry sector amidst plans to export chicken meat from the United States to Indonesia.

“The most important factor is the equalization of production. Currently, approximately 63% of meat and egg production is still concentrated on the island of Java. Therefore, our challenge ahead is not just increasing production volume, but ensuring that production is evenly distributed,” he said.

Consequently, the government has initiated an integrated poultry farming program across five provinces, covering breeding, feed supply, pullets, vaccinations, and distribution. Areas included in the initial development phase include East Java, South Sulawesi, Gorontalo, East Kalimantan, NTB, and Lampung.

“The existence of the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives will act as the engine for the regional poultry ecosystem. We already have the farmer data; we just need to strengthen guidance and the cooperative framework. Cooperatives can serve as hubs for purchasing feed, providing seeds, and absorbing harvests,” he explained.

He also expressed hope that the Ministry of Cooperatives could provide an umbrella for the poultry ecosystem, similar to other commodities like cattle, which already possess mature cooperative institutional schemes.

In the same forum, Deputy Minister of Cooperatives Farida Farichah explained that the President desires every village to achieve food sovereignty and not depend on other regions. She cited Bandung City and Regency as examples, which still source eggs from Blora despite having natural potential highly suitable for independent egg production. Similar conditions occur in many other regions, particularly in Eastern Indonesia.

“The role of cooperatives in this program is vital. Without institutionalization, there is a risk that eggs will go unsold. Cooperatives can act as offtakers while guaranteeing business sustainability, including the purchase of feed and seeds for the next period,” she said.

In this structure, KDKMP serves as the technical operational manager of the coops, local officials support regional regulations, the Kadin Protein Task Force assists in operations, the Ministry of Agriculture drafts livestock business regulations, and financial institutions provide access to financing through the Cooperative Revolving Fund Management Agency (LPDB) and regional banks.

Furthermore, Cecep Muhammad Wahyudin, Vice Chairman of the National Leadership Council (DKN) of HKTI and Vice Chairman (WKU) for Livestock at KADIN, mentioned that the presence of the farmers’ organization aims to bridge communication between the Ministry of Agriculture and KDKMP, while preventing potential conflicts of interest between farmers and large-scale entrepreneurs.

“Livestock farmer groups receiving assistance from the ministry should join the KDKMP framework as their legal umbrella. This provides legal standing and integrates them into an ecosystem assisted by the HKTI livestock division, so the ministry and financial institutions face less difficulty in monitoring program sustainability,” he stated.

Cecep noted that Kadin and the Ministry of Cooperatives have formed a Protein Task Force to assist KDKMP throughout Indonesia. This task force will oversee the development of animal and plant-based proteins, including layer chickens.

“The Protein Task Force provides technical operational assistance to cooperatives, ensuring the availability of feed and seeds, as well as managing production and distribution governance,” he explained.

Additionally, an AI-based digital system is being prepared to monitor daily production, livestock health, medicine requirements, and potential disease outbreaks at the farm level.

“This system will eventually connect with veterinarians and technical authorities at the regency/city level, allowing for faster, data-driven handling. The Protein Task Force will also design business developments, including ‘Merah Putih’ feed, as part of the production input independence strategy.”

Cecep added that the potential for KDKMP development to participate in this layer chicken program could reach approximately 15,000 cooperatives across Indonesia.

HKTI is expected to serve as the ecosystem for farmers, whether they are part of KDKMP or existing cooperatives. Therefore, it is deemed appropriate for HKTI to be directly involved in programs related to the livestock industry, both in terms of assistance and financing.

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