POULTRYINDONESIA, Jakarta — Strengthening regulations is an important step in addressing the evolving challenges of Indonesia’s livestock and animal health development. To this end, the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) is encouraging the Indonesian Association of Animal Science Scholars (ISPI) and the Indonesian Veterinary Medical Association (PDHI) to strengthen their synergy in providing policy input, including for the revision of the Animal Husbandry and Animal Health Law.

The call was made by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Director General of Livestock and Animal Health, Agung Suganda, while witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Veterinary Medical Association (PB PDHI) and the Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Association of Animal Science Scholars (PB ISPI). The event took place at the Ministry of Agriculture Headquarters in Jakarta on Tuesday (September 8, 2026).

The cooperation between the two professional organizations is considered important for strengthening the contribution of professionals to the development of the livestock and animal health subsectors. The collaboration is also expected to generate relevant input for the formulation of national policies.

“Strengthening regulations must be directed toward addressing the challenges faced by livestock business operators, particularly smallholder farmers. The third revision of the Animal Husbandry and Animal Health Law must take into account the interests of farmers as one of the key stakeholders.”

He emphasized that policies should not merely regulate technical aspects of livestock production and animal health. Regulations should also provide protection and create a business environment that supports the sustainability of smallholder farmers.

“The solution must ultimately be reflected in regulations, namely the law on animal husbandry and animal health. So, I ask ISPI and PDHI to ensure that, in formulating input for the third revision of the Animal Husbandry and Animal Health Law, priority is given to farmers, who are our key stakeholders,” Agung said.

Furthermore, he stated that smallholder farmers need to be positioned as key actors in the development of the livestock and animal health subsectors. According to him, this should be based on the principles of a people-centered economy, which places communities at the heart of efforts to strengthen the national food sector.

The signing of the memorandum of understanding between PB PDHI and PB ISPI represents a commitment to strengthening cross-professional collaboration. Such cooperation is considered important given that livestock development cannot be separated from animal health.

PB PDHI Chairman Muhammad Munawaroh said that the livestock and veterinary professions have complementary areas of expertise. Synergy between the two is needed to support the development of healthy and sustainable livestock businesses.

According to him, livestock management requires a comprehensive understanding, ranging from breeding and nutrition to animal health. Each profession plays a role in supporting the success of livestock operations.

“When we talk about breeding and nutrition, these areas are better understood by our colleagues in animal science. Meanwhile, in animal health, we focus extensively on pharmaceuticals and pharmacology. This is what we need to synergize. Today, we are taking a new step. Livestock production and animal health cannot be separated; we share the same goal,” Muhammad Munawaroh said.

He noted that the connection between the two fields needs to be continuously strengthened, both in livestock development practices and in policymaking. With closer collaboration, the contribution of each profession is expected to become more effective.

Meanwhile, PB ISPI Chairman Audy Joinaldy highlighted the importance of strengthening the role of professional organizations in ensuring that the existence and competencies of professional personnel receive adequate protection.

According to him, livestock engineers and veterinarians make important contributions to the development of the livestock and animal health subsectors. Therefore, professional protection should be taken into consideration in regulatory discussions.

“These professions need to receive protection, both livestock engineers and veterinarians. At present, we are still covered under the same law, namely the Animal Husbandry and Animal Health Law,” Audy said.

He added that synergy between PDHI and ISPI is needed to ensure that the respective roles of each profession can be carried out optimally. The cooperation is also expected to provide a platform for aligning perspectives when submitting input on national policies.

Through collaboration between professional organizations, the formulation of regulations is expected to take into account the needs of livestock development in a more comprehensive manner. This includes the interests of smallholder farmers, strengthening domestic production, and protecting the professions that support the livestock sector.

The livestock and animal health sectors face a range of challenges that require appropriate policy support. In addition to production issues, these subsectors are closely linked to animal health, the availability of animal-based food, and the sustainability of farmers’ businesses.

The Ministry of Agriculture also urged that the cooperation between the two organizations not stop at the signing of the memorandum of understanding. The synergy is expected to continue through concrete contributions to regulatory oversight and efforts to strengthen the livestock and animal health subsectors.