POULTRYINDONESIA, Jakarta – The cage-free layer hen movement continues to gain momentum as part of broader efforts to promote a more animal-friendly and ethical livestock industry. This was highlighted during a discussion forum held in Jakarta on Thursday (11/12), which brought together various stakeholders to discuss improving animal welfare standards and accelerating the transition to cage-free egg production systems in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

The forum also marked the launch of a report titled “Cage-Free Eggs: The Global Transition Toward a More Ethical and Resilient Business Model,” prepared by the Animal Welfare and Research Program of Sinergia Animal International. The report examines a range of sustainable business models for food industry players and egg producers in adopting cage-free systems, as well as the benefits for hen welfare and business resilience.

In her opening remarks, Head of the Animal Welfare Implementation Team at the Ministry of Agriculture, drh. Septa Walyani, M.Si., emphasized the importance of an integrated approach to animal welfare implementation. She underscored the One Health concept, which views human, animal, and environmental health as an interconnected whole in building an ethical, safe, and sustainable food system.

The report highlights that conventional cage systems restrict laying hens from expressing their natural behaviors and increase stress levels. As a result, the global shift toward more sustainable food production systems, including cage-free eggs, is becoming increasingly relevant amid growing consumer demand for transparency and higher animal welfare standards.

“Most laying hens worldwide are still kept in narrow cages. Scientific research shows that transitioning to cage-free systems can prevent more than 7,000 hours of suffering per hen compared to conventional cage systems,” said Fernanda Vieira, one of the report’s authors and Director of the Animal Welfare and Research Program.

Packaged as the White Paper Launch 2025, the event was attended by 63 participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. They represented a wide range of backgrounds, including academics from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Universitas Gadjah Mada, representatives of the Directorate of Veterinary Public Health at the Ministry of Agriculture, civil society organizations, veterinary professional associations, egg producers, and large-scale corporate egg users.

A number of international and regional organizations were also present, including Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) as a certification body, Global Food Partners as a consulting firm, as well as representatives of institutions and associations from Malaysia and Thailand.

During the discussion session, Luiz Mazzon, Global Program Director of Humane Farm Animal Care, emphasized that certification is an important instrument in the transition toward cage-free farming, but must be accompanied by long-term commitment from producers. According to him, improvements in farm management, consumer education, and robust assessment and traceability systems are key to a successful transition.

The discussion also featured perspectives from producers and consultants. Roby Gandawijaya, CEO of PT Inti Prima Satwa Sejahtera, together with Jayasimha Nuggehalli, COO and Co-Founder of Global Food Partners, outlined the historical dynamics of Indonesia’s poultry industry, the economic challenges of adopting cage-free systems, and practical solutions for companies seeking to transition.

In addition, a success story from the end-user sector was presented by Novotel Jakarta Cikini, which is targeting the use of 100 percent cage-free eggs by 2026. This implementation experience demonstrates that improving animal welfare can go hand in hand with business sustainability commitments.

Through this forum, stakeholders agreed that the transition toward cage-free eggs is not merely an ethical issue, but also a strategic step in building a more sustainable and regionally competitive food system.