Strengthening the dairy farming sector cannot be achieved by a single actor alone. Amid the various challenges faced by dairy farmers, ranging from feed quality and availability, animal health and reproductive services, to access to water during the dry season—further exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon—collaboration among local governments, cooperatives, farmers, and other stakeholders is becoming increasingly important.

Through the FRESH Program, Rumah Energi continues to strengthen the dairy farming ecosystem through an approach focused on building farmers’ capacities, strengthening cooperative services, and fostering collaboration with local governments. One of these efforts was carried out through a series of meetings with government agencies responsible for livestock development in Klaten, Sleman, and Boyolali Regencies in August 2026.

The meetings provided an opportunity to share updates on the FRESH Program while discussing the challenges and opportunities for dairy farming development in each region. They also served as a platform to build shared commitments to ensure that support for farmers can be delivered in a more integrated and sustainable manner.

Expanding Farmer Support in Klaten

The first meeting was held on 3 August 2026 at the Office of the Klaten Regency Food Security and Agriculture Agency (DKPP). The FRESH team, represented by Rumah Energi, was received by the Acting Head of the Livestock and Animal Health Division, Ir. Agung Nugroho, S.Pt., M.M.

FRESH Project Manager Ruth Subodro opened the meeting by presenting the outcomes of the Workshop on Government and Stakeholder Synergy to Support Local Milk Productivity. She then shared updates on the FRESH Program’s 2026 activities, which focus on several key initiatives, including Sinau Bareng Good Dairy Farming Practices (GDFP) through Champion Farmers, strengthening animal health and reproductive services through cooperatives, the Dairy Farmer Competition, and strengthening cooperative businesses through feed services.

During the meeting, the Klaten Regency Food Security and Agriculture Agency expressed its appreciation for the efforts carried out through the FRESH Program. The local government also emphasized the importance of expanding support and capacity-building for dairy farmers across Klaten so that more farmers can benefit from capacity-building and mentoring initiatives.

One of the key areas of support discussed was the optimization of animal health services through the Karangnongko Community Animal Health Center (Puskeswan) to support farmers in Kemalang. Accessible animal health services are essential to maintaining livestock productivity while supporting the quality of locally produced milk.

e Agency also opened opportunities to involve farmers from Kayumas, Jatinom, together with two dairy farmer groups in the area, in the Dairy Farmer Competition. The competition is expected not only to recognize farmers’ achievements but also to encourage them to adopt better dairy farming practices and improve the management of their farming businesses.

Strengthening Animal Health and Reproductive Services in Sleman

Similar efforts to strengthen collaboration were also carried out in Sleman Regency. On 11 August 2026, the FRESH Program team held a meeting with the Sleman Regency Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Agency and was received by the Head of the Livestock and Animal Health Division, Drh. Suryawati Purwaningtyas, M.Si.

During the meeting, Rumah Energi shared updates on the FRESH Program while highlighting challenges in providing animal health and reproductive services to farmers through cooperatives, particularly the SAMESTA Cooperative and UPP Kaliurang.

Animal health and reproductive services play an important role in maintaining the sustainability of dairy farming businesses. Healthy livestock and proper reproductive management contribute directly to productivity and the long-term sustainability of farmers’ herds.

In response, the Sleman Regency Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Agency expressed its commitment to optimizing Puskeswan services in Cangkringan, Pakem, and Turi. One approach already being implemented is Posyandu Hewan, or Yanduan, a service in which Puskeswan officers provide animal health services directly to livestock groups on a regular basis.

However, expanding these services remains challenging due to limited numbers of field personnel. This situation highlights the importance of collaboration between local government and cooperatives to ensure that animal health and reproductive services can reach farmers more effectively.

The Agency also shared that it is currently seeking support for facilities and infrastructure to strengthen local milk businesses and dairy cooperatives in the area. Such support is expected to strengthen the capacity of cooperatives as key actors in providing services to dairy farmers.

Addressing Feed and Water Challenges in Boyolali

Boyolali Regency was the third location visited as part of the FRESH Program’s series of meetings with local governments. The meeting, held on 21 August 2026 at the Office of the Boyolali Regency Livestock and Fisheries Agency, was attended by the Agency Secretary, Agus Pramudi Raharjo, S.P., M.M., and the Head of the Livestock Production Division, Drh. Hendro Kurnianto.

In addition to presenting the outcomes of the workshop on government and stakeholder synergy, Rumah Energi shared updates on the FRESH Program’s 2026 activities. Key areas of focus included strengthening Good Dairy Farming Practices, improving animal health and reproductive services through cooperatives, the Dairy Farmer Competition, and developing feed services as part of cooperative business strengthening.

During the discussion, the quality of livestock feed emerged as one of the key challenges. Access to quality feed is closely linked to livestock productivity and the quality of milk produced. Another challenge is access to water, particularly during the dry season. Water is essential not only for dairy farming activities but also for meeting the household needs of farming families.

The Boyolali Regency Livestock and Fisheries Agency welcomed the development of the FRESH Program and appreciated its approach to supporting local dairy farmers. One important lesson highlighted was how strengthening farmers’ capacities through access to affordable livestock financing, combined with financial management training, can help smallholder farmers rebuild and strengthen their businesses following the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak.

Livestock waste management through biogas installations was also recognized for providing direct benefits to farming families. In addition to reducing their reliance on purchased cooking fuel, proper livestock waste management can help maintain cleaner cattle sheds and support better hygiene practices in milk production.

Building on these benefits, the Boyolali Regency Livestock and Fisheries Agency expressed its commitment to strengthening collaboration to support local dairy farmers through the approach developed by the FRESH Program. Future collaboration will include strengthening resources, optimizing routine vaccination services, and supporting the implementation of Sinau Bareng GDFP and the Dairy Farmer Competition.

From Dialogue to Sustainable Collaboration

The series of meetings in Klaten, Sleman, and Boyolali demonstrated that each region has its own characteristics and challenges in developing the dairy farming sector.

Cooperatives play a strategic role as a bridge between farmers and the various services they need. Strengthening cooperatives through animal health and reproductive services, feed provision, farmer capacity-building, and the promotion of better dairy farming practices can become an important part of building a more resilient local dairy ecosystem.

At the same time, local governments play an important role in ensuring that public services, resources, policies, and technical support can reach farmers. Collaboration with local governments also creates opportunities for various initiatives developed through the FRESH Program to be integrated with existing systems and services at the local level. 

Written by: FRESH Team
Edited by: Fauzan Ramadhan