July 6, 2026
 

Indonesia steps up livestock disease controls ahead of El Nino

The Ministry of Agriculture is prioritising vaccination, biosecurity and vector control to protect livestock productivity as climate risks mount.

Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture is reinforcing its animal disease control framework in response to the anticipated impacts of El Nino, with measures spanning vaccination, biosecurity, veterinary services and vector management.

Agung Suganda, Director General of Livestock and Animal Health at the Ministry, said shifting temperatures and environmental conditions can alter the dynamics of disease transmission among livestock, requiring more structured preventive action. "Strengthening the animal health system is a crucial part of maintaining the resilience of the livestock sub-sector amid changing climate conditions," he said during a working visit by the House of Representatives Commission IV in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan.

The Ministry is stockpiling medicines, vitamins and vaccines while accelerating vaccination programmes to bolster livestock immunity against major infectious diseases. Biosecurity measures at the farm level are also being tightened to reduce the risk of disease introduction and spread.

Vector control - targeting flies, mosquitoes and ticks - has been identified as a key priority, given the role these agents play in transmitting livestock diseases across multiple regions. Veterinary services are being reinforced with additional medical personnel and local facilities to enable faster outbreak response.

"A robust animal disease control system is pivotal to maintaining the sustainability of livestock production and the stability of the supply of food derived from animals across the regions," Suganda said.

- ANTARA