August 29, 2024

Indonesia allocates 1.5 million hectares for dairy farms to support free meal programme

Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture is in the process of preparing 1.5 million hectares of land for dairy farming to support President-elect Prabowo Subianto's free meal programme, Jakarta Globe reported.

The initiative aims to provide lunch and milk to students across the country and requires substantial dairy production to meet the programme's demands.

Ali Agus, an expert staff member of the Agriculture Minister, highlighted the necessity of this extensive land allocation to grow sufficient feed for the planned import of 1.5 million dairy cows. The Ministry is currently identifying suitable sites and collaborating with investors to advance the programme.

"We have been tasked with securing 1.5 million hectares across various regions in Indonesia," Ali Agus stated during a briefing in Yogyakarta. "Each cow requires about 40 kilograms of grass daily, and we've calculated the land needed to produce this amount."

Regions identified for land preparation include the highlands of Palu, Berastagi in North Sumatra, and areas near Muara Enim in Palembang, South Sumatra. Additionally, the Ministry is coordinating with palm oil farmers in Palembang to integrate dairy farming with existing plantations.

To achieve self-sufficiency in milk production, the government is considering importing dairy cows from countries such as New Zealand, Australia, the US, and Brazil. "We are in negotiations with these countries due to the insufficient domestic supply," Agus noted.

The Ministry is also engaging with private investors and international partners to facilitate the program's implementation. Recent discussions include an investor from the Middle East interested in securing 20,000 hectares and interest from China and Vietnam for a minimum of 5,000 hectares.

Local dairy farmers will play a significant role in the programme, with financing models being developed to support their participation. These models include facilitated credit options and insurance to ensure their involvement in the initiative.

-      Jakarta Globe