JAKARTA, INDONESIA – U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), a non-profit, independent organization focused on increasing the global demand for U.S. dairy products and ingredients, debuted its Training for Farmers Program this week in Bogor, Indonesia. The training marks a key milestone for the U.S.-Indonesia Dairy Partnership Education project, a joint effort launched in 2024 between USDEC, New Mexico State Department of Agriculture (NMDA), New Mexico State University and their Indonesian partners Global Dairi Alami, Cimory and Ultrajaya.

The week’s Training for Farmers program, more than a year in the making, is a critical initiative of the U.S.-Indonesia Dairy Partnership (USIDP), which supports Indonesian dairy farmers through in-person and online training in critical areas such as farm management practices, cattle health, nutrition and disease prevention.

The Indonesian dairy industry has an important role to play in the country’s Free Nutritious Meal Program, which plans to fight malnutrition by providing school children and other at-risk populations with access to proper nutrition through consistent milk consumption.

Currently, there are 160,000 dairy farmers across Indonesia, caring for (as of 2023) more than 513,000 dairy cows in the country, 98 percent of which are located in Java. The inaugural training session was attended by 20 dairy farmers from Bogor and its surrounding areas.

"By investing in the development of [Indonesian] dairy farmers, we are not only improving their livelihoods but also contributing to the overall growth and sustainability of the dairy sector. We want to ensure a prosperous future for Indonesia's dairy industry by providing comprehensive training and support. Our goal is to create a thriving dairy industry that benefits farmers, consumers, and the entire economy," Jonathan Gardner, senior vice president, USDEC Market Access and Regulatory Affairs, said at the training program’s launch event.

In addition to in-person education, the program enables trainers and farmers to access and use training modules remotely through mobile devices, sharing live and recorded trainings that can reach farmers across the country with customized insights that can help elevate farmer skills and increase outputs.

“The training materials we developed not only adapt what we have learned from farmers in the United States but have also customized the learnings to address the challenges faced by Indonesian dairy farmers,” explained Robert Hagevoort, Professor and Extension Dairy Specialist at New Mexico State University, and Dustin Cox with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture who worked with USDEC for this partnership.

During this week’s training session, participants took part in in-person education sessions and were given additional resources to support implementation of the learnings beyond the event.

“This training is very beneficial. I realized today that what I’ve been practicing was incorrect, and the materials showed me the right way, which I will implement,” said Sumardi, a farmer in attendance at Thursday’s training session from Gumilang Farm, Kelompok Peternak Pondok Rangon.

The program’s goal is to train 100 dairy farmers this year alone to improve dairy industry production and, in turn, access to high-quality nutrition, throughout Indonesia.

On Jan. 7, prior to the Training for Farmers, USDEC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) University to provide training for IPB educators during the week. The university, located in Bogor, houses agricultural studies and partners with many stakeholders in the sector throughout Indonesia.

“IPB University is proud to play a significant part in this U.S.-Indonesia Dairy Partnership initiative,” said Prof. Dr. Arif Satria SP, M.Si. Principal of IPB University, during the signing. “This collaboration aligns with our commitment to driving techno- and socio-partnerships, supporting Indonesia's food security initiatives and the school meals program. The education program profoundly impacts human quality of life and empowers our dairy farmers. Together, we are working towards a brighter future for Indonesia."

Through the U.S.-Indonesia Dairy Partnership initiative, USDEC and its local partners are committed to empowering Indonesian dairy farmers with the essential skills needed to boost the quality and productivity of the dairy sector and ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for Indonesia's dairy industry through comprehensive training and support.