Yogyakarta — Efforts to strengthen the resilience of smallholder dairy farmers and increase local milk productivity continue to grow through multi-stakeholder collaboration. Held at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Yogyakarta, on Wednesday (May 13), Yayasan Rumah Energi together with PT Sarihusada Generasi Mahardhika (SGM) and Danone Ecosystem organized a workshop titled “Government and Stakeholder Synergy in Supporting Local Dairy Productivity.”

The workshop brought together representatives from government institutions, academia, cooperatives, businesses, and smallholder dairy farmers from the Special Region of Yogyakarta and Central Java. The event served as a collaborative platform to strengthen collective efforts in improving local dairy productivity through the Farmer Resilience and Enhanced Sustainable Husbandry (FRESH) Program, which has been implemented since 2023. The FRESH Program focuses on enhancing the capacity of smallholder dairy farmers and fresh milk cooperatives through a comprehensive approach, including training, infrastructure development, livestock management innovation, cooperative strengthening, and improved access to financing.

Acting Director of Livestock Product Downstreaming at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, Drh. Boethdy Angkasa, M.Si., expressed appreciation for the comprehensive approach implemented through the FRESH Program.

“The FRESH Program introduces innovation from upstream to downstream and, within three years of implementation, has created significant impact — ranging from capacity building and infrastructure support to livestock innovation, climate change mitigation, and strengthening cooperative downstream initiatives,” he stated.

He also emphasized that Indonesia’s low milk consumption remains a shared challenge that requires cross-sector collaboration to address.

Various initiatives have been implemented through the FRESH Program, including vaccination and treatment following the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak, training on Good Dairy Farming Practices (GDFP), cooperative business development, dairy cattle financing schemes, feed innovation, and digital recording systems to improve farming efficiency. In addition, the program promotes sustainable livestock practices through biodigester construction, clean water access, and the development of milk pasteurization facilities to support the Free Nutritious Meal Program.

Karyanto Wibowo, Senior Director of Public Affairs & Sustainability at Danone Indonesia, stated that the workshop marked an important momentum to strengthen collective action among stakeholders.

“We believe that with support from the government and all stakeholders, this initiative will create even greater impact for the advancement of smallholder dairy farming, particularly in Yogyakarta and Central Java,” he said.

During the event, Sarihusada and Yayasan Rumah Energi also symbolically handed over a study titled Ideal Business Size of Smallholder Farmers to the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia. The study is expected to contribute to evidence-based policymaking grounded in field practices.

Vice Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine UGM, Prof. Dr. Drh. Aris Haryanto, M.Si., highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration in supporting the sustainability of Indonesia’s dairy industry.

“We hope this workshop becomes a collective momentum to improve the quality and competitiveness of local dairy products while enhancing the welfare of dairy farmers in Indonesia,” he remarked.

Similarly, Prof. Epi Taufik from the Faculty of Animal Science at IPB University emphasized the importance of innovation, cooperative strengthening, and technological support in enhancing the competitiveness of smallholder dairy farmers.

Through the spirit of mutual cooperation and collective action, the FRESH Program is expected to continue strengthening the resilience of smallholder dairy farmers, improving the production of quality local milk, and contributing to Indonesia’s food security and nutrition improvement efforts.