The increasing population of Indonesia and the increasing urbanization flow to 6.6% in 2035 has the potential to reduce the number of food producers in rural areas. This will be a challenge for the development of the livestock industry in Indonesia, considering the world’s food needs will increase by 60% due to population growth.
“The population of cattle and buffalo during the period 2010-2014 continues to increase. Even so, there are still challenges in the development of cattle and buffalo,” said Ismatullah Salim, S.Pt., as Subdivisions Head of Accounting, Verification and Follow-Up Monitoring (TLHP), Finance Section of the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Republic of Indonesia. providing in-class training to participants of the Work-Based Academy, Friday (5/10) at the UGM Faculty of Animal Husbandry.
Salim said, the challenges were small and weak livestock ownership, centralized population in Java, more downstream business development (fattening and importing meat), low production of fresh milk, and so on.
“To overcome this, the government has a policy in the form of regulatory reform, infrastructure, production, investment and downstreaming, domestic trade systems, and import control and strengthening exports which ultimately leads to food sovereignty and farmers’ welfare. The focus is on strategic food and centers/regions, ” Salim said. In 2045, Indonesia is targeted to become an Asian food barn with a population of 41,745,441, a demand for 1,151,698 tons, a local production of 1,122 thousand tons, and an export potential of 450,049 (85,509 tons).
Salim added, the animal science study program at a university plays an important role in developing the livestock industry. However, currently Indonesian livestock workforce is still low educated, aged 50 years and over, and does not yet have an entrepreneurial spirit. “For that reason, universities play a role in making the livestock sub-sector becomes an attractive sector for young people and entrepreneurs,” Salim said.
According to Salim, the education system, human resources (lecturers and students), and infrastructure are important components in producing animal science graduates that will succeed in the livestock development program.
“To become a competent animal science graduate, it is necessary to increase the qualifications of prospective students, reorientate the curriculum, increase the entrepreneurial spirit, increase the value of scholarship (ethics, leadership, and managerial abilities), and increase the role as a motivator of development. All of them are then matched with the business world/ working world,” Salim said. (Nadia)