By: Suwardi*

Smallholder farmers today are not facing a production crisis, but rather a structural crisis caused by weakening purchasing power and their absence from policymaking spaces.

The current condition of the livestock sector, especially the layer chicken industry, is far from stable. Many people view this issue solely from the production side, as if the falling egg prices are caused only by oversupply. In reality, however, conditions in the field reveal a much more complex, deeper, and structural problem. If we only look at the surface, the solutions produced will merely be temporary and fail to address the real root causes.

One of the root problems that rarely receives serious attention is the increasing concentration of economic circulation in Jakarta and other major cities in recent years. As a regional council member, I have witnessed firsthand how the reduction of fund transfers to regions has significantly affected local economic life. When money no longer circulates in the regions, markets become sluggish, people’s purchasing power declines, and the ripple effects are directly felt by farmers.

For example, in Kendal Regency alone, transfer funds from the central government have been reduced by as much as Rp189 billion. If similar conditions occur in hundreds of regencies and cities across Indonesia, we can imagine how severe the impact would be on overall public consumption. Under such circumstances, it is only natural that egg prices continue to decline. This is not merely an issue of oversupply, but rather weakening purchasing power caused by inequality in the national economic circulation. Farmers are not lacking production capacity; the market lacks the ability to absorb their products.

This issue is worsened by the fact that recognition of smallholder farmers within the national food system remains only half-hearted. If smallholder farmers are truly considered important as the backbone of food security, then there should be real representation within policymaking structures, whether as expert teams, policy analysts, or strategic government partners. In reality, until today, such positions remain out of reach. The voices of smallholder farmers are still frequently absent from decision-making spaces that ultimately determine their own future.

Nevertheless, criticism should not only be directed outward. We must also dare to conduct honest self-reflection. Are we truly united? Have we genuinely stood together in action, not merely in words? Do existing associations and cooperatives already have adequate support systems, including experts and consultants capable of strategically advocating for farmers’ interests? If we ourselves are not solid, how can we expect to be heard? These questions are not meant to weaken our spirit, but to remind us that change will not come from outside if we ourselves have not improved from within.

This is the critical point that we must answer together immediately. Smallholder farmers can no longer move individually. We need real and structured consolidation, not merely repeated slogans of unity without concrete action.

The most fundamental step that must be taken immediately is to build valid and accountable data collection. How many smallholder farmers are there actually in Indonesia? Where are they located? What are the conditions of their businesses? Are they included in formal data collection systems or not? Without strong and accurate data, we have no solid foundation for conveying aspirations to the government or the public. In Kendal Regency alone, there are 1,238 farmers officially recognized by the government, excluding those outside the formal data system. Imagine if all regions carried out the same effort simultaneously and systematically. We would possess enormous data strength that could become the strongest argument in every policy forum.

This article is an excerpt from the Opinion column of Poultry Indonesia Magazine, May 2026 edition.

Read the full article in Poultry Indonesia Magazine May 2026 Edition.
For subscriptions or further information, contact:
📱 WhatsApp: 0877-8012-0754
📧 Email: sirkulasipoultry@gmail.com

Get more information about Indonesia’s poultry industry by joining the Satwa Media Group WhatsApp Channel.