POULTRYINDONESIA, Yogyakarta — In commemoration of its 80th anniversary, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Universitas Gadjah Mada held a national seminar titled “Outlook Perunggasan 2026–2027: Resilience, Sovereignty, and Sustainability of the National Poultry Industry” in Yogyakarta on Wednesday (April 22, 2026). The event served as a strategic forum to discuss the challenges and future of the poultry industry amid global dynamics.

In his opening remarks, Vice Dean for Academic and Student Affairs of FKH UGM, Agung Budiyanto, emphasized that the poultry industry holds significant economic value and plays a crucial role in supporting national food security. However, the sector faces high complexity due to various global and domestic factors.

“The poultry sector generates economic turnover reaching hundreds of trillions of rupiah annually. In today’s dynamic global situation, we are confronted with many unpredictable variables, ranging from price fluctuations and diseases to supply chain disruptions,” he stated.

He explained that industry players often face uncertain conditions, where feed prices, livestock health, and market prices do not always move in alignment. This complexity requires businesses to be more adaptive and possess strong resilience.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Keluarga Alumni FKH UGM (Gamavet), Teuku Sahir Syahali, highlighted the importance of understanding industry dynamics comprehensively. According to him, the poultry sector is influenced not only by technical factors but also by global conditions such as geopolitical conflicts and energy price fluctuations.

“Often we find ourselves in a situation where we need to know what we don’t know. Many variables are unpredictable, making this industry highly complex,” he remarked.

He added that the poultry industry continuously experiences cyclical ups and downs—from economic crises and the COVID-19 pandemic to current price fluctuations. When prices rise, production increases, which eventually affects market balance again.

“In the end, there will be a point of equilibrium. The question is who can survive, who falls, and who can sustain,” he explained.

Teuku also stressed the importance of collaboration between academia, industry, and government (the ABG model) in formulating science-based solutions. Universities, he noted, are the right space for objective and constructive discussions.

Director of Partnerships and Global Relations at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Puji Astuti, emphasized that the poultry industry is a strategic sector that impacts not only food security but also economic and social stability.

“The poultry industry plays an important role in maintaining food stability while also contributing to economic and even political stability, as it is directly linked to public needs,” she said.

She added that the sector’s challenges require strong synergy among government, industry players, and academia. Support for independent farmers is key to maintaining industry balance, while academics play a strategic role as independent parties bridging interests and providing research-based solutions.

In the same forum, Special Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture for Livestock Product Downstreaming, Ali Agus, affirmed that the livestock sector is a key pillar in providing nutritious food, particularly animal protein such as meat, eggs, and milk.

He explained that the government has set four main development priorities: food self-sufficiency, provision of nutritious food, energy security, and downstreaming and strengthening of industry.

“Livestock is key to fulfilling community nutrition. Therefore, policies are not only focused on production but also on downstreaming and strengthening the industrial ecosystem,” he noted.

Strategic programs include land optimization, the development of new rice fields, irrigation revitalization, strengthening millennial farmers, and increasing investment in agriculture and livestock. He also emphasized the importance of region-based food self-sufficiency, where each island is encouraged to meet its own food needs to anticipate distribution disruptions and disease outbreaks.

In the poultry sector, Indonesia is considered to have achieved a relatively strong level of self-sufficiency and is among the world’s largest producers of chicken meat and eggs. However, challenges remain, particularly dependency on imported feed raw materials and uneven production distribution.

“Currently, around 63% of poultry production is still concentrated on Java Island. This poses a significant risk if disruptions such as disease outbreaks occur,” he explained.

Therefore, the government is encouraging the development of poultry industries outside Java through the establishment of production clusters in regions such as Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua.

The seminar also featured prominent national poultry figures, including Achmad Dawami (Chairman of GPPU), Bagus Pekik (CMO of Haida), Singgih Januratmoko (Chairman of Pinsar Indonesia), I Ketut Wirata (Director of Animal Health at the Ministry of Agriculture), Michael Hariyadi (Professor at FKH UGM), and Desianto B. Utomo (Chairman of GPMT).

Through this forum, FKH UGM reaffirmed its commitment as a center for veterinary and poultry science development that contributes tangibly to national development. Collaboration among academia, government, and industry is expected to produce concrete strategies to strengthen a resilient, independent, and sustainable national poultry industry.

Get more updates on Indonesia’s poultry industry by joining the Poultry Indonesia WhatsApp Channel.