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Tag: food security

  • NTB Government and ID FOOD Sign MoU for Integrated Poultry Industry Development

    NTB Government and ID FOOD Sign MoU for Integrated Poultry Industry Development

    Lombok Zone – The regional government of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) has officially partnered with PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (ID FOOD) to enhance the local poultry industry. This new agreement aims to strengthen food security and promote a sustainable agricultural sector.

    On March 9, 2026, the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) took place in Jakarta, presided over by NTB Governor H. Lalu Muhamad Iqbal and ID FOOD CEO Ghimoyo. The event was also attended by Dr. drh. Agung Suganda, M.Si, the Director General of Livestock and Animal Health from the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture, alongside key regional officials.

    This collaboration signifies a strategic move by the NTB government to develop a fully integrated poultry ecosystem, aiming to boost the regional economy towards a more productive and modern framework.

    Governor Iqbal emphasized the initiative’s importance, stating that it transcends typical investment in the livestock sector. He described it as a vital strategy to uplift the livelihoods of local farmers and enhance regional food independence. “This is not just another investment project for NTB; it’s a strategic step to bolster a fairer livestock ecosystem that empowers farmers,” he noted.

    The governor highlighted the current dominance of large enterprises in key areas of the poultry industry, such as day-old chicks (DOC) and feed, which has limited the growth potential of local farmers. The establishment of this integrated poultry industry in NTB aims to create a more resilient business structure, providing more opportunities for local farmers to thrive independently.

    Additionally, NTB faces a significant deficit in the supply of poultry products, especially eggs and chicken meat, still relying largely on external sources. With the rising demand for food from the national program for free nutritious meals, the need for poultry products is projected to surge.

    Governor Iqbal pointed out that the current beneficiaries of this initiative approach a thousand service units, indicating a continuous growth in the demand for food supplies, including poultry products. Therefore, developing an integrated poultry industry is crucial for ensuring food supply resilience and creating new economic opportunities for NTB residents.

    The NTB government is committed to providing comprehensive support for the project, including logistics connectivity, infrastructure enhancement, and strengthening the local livestock business ecosystem. “We will do everything we can to ensure this project runs smoothly and benefits our community,” he stated.

    This MoU follows the groundbreaking of a mega integrated poultry project valued at IDR 1.2 trillion, which already commenced in Serading Village, Moyo Hilir District, Sumbawa Regency. This ambitious initiative aims to establish a modern poultry industry framework that covers everything from providing quality breeds and feed to production and distribution.

    Ghimoyo, the CEO of ID FOOD, elaborated on the company’s strengths, mentioning its robust capacity to enhance the national livestock sector through extensive logistics, distribution networks, and food processing capabilities. ID FOOD boasts a wide distribution network with 74 distribution branches, 24 cold storage facilities, and over 900 logistics vehicles across Indonesia.

    This partnership will see ID FOOD develop an integrated farming ecosystem in NTB throughout various production value chain stages. At the upstream level, the company will support essential farming needs such as superior breeds, feed, medication, and vaccines. During production, local farmers will be encouraged to expand their businesses through contract farming and off-take agreements, ensuring market certainty for their products.

    Furthermore, farmers will receive training, technical assistance, and access to financing options, including investment credits and working capital loans. At the downstream level, ID FOOD will enhance poultry processing through facilities for slaughtering, carcass processing, and product packaging, which will then be distributed through its national network.

    Dr. drh. Agung Suganda also reinforced the strategic national significance of the integrated poultry project. He noted that it not only establishes production facilities but also builds a poultry industry ecosystem that includes local farmers as key players in the production chain. NTB has been identified as a primary cluster for the national integrated poultry project development due to its substantial regional potential and strong local government support.

    In light of the MoU, ID FOOD is set to conduct further field surveys in Sumbawa to ensure the technical and operational readiness of the project site. This phase is crucial to guarantee that the integrated poultry industry can develop on time and effectively benefit the local community. The collaboration among central and local governments, state-owned enterprises, and local farmers is expected to serve as a new driver for the regional economy while reinforcing national food security from West Nusa Tenggara.

  • Local Cooperatives in NTB Urged to Embrace Business Transformation and Seize Opportunities

    Local Cooperatives in NTB Urged to Embrace Business Transformation and Seize Opportunities

    Lombok Zone – The government of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) is actively encouraging local cooperatives to evolve into robust business entities. A significant opportunity lies within the national Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, which has recently been launched in the region.

    During his address to the members of the Merah Putih Cooperative at Jembatan Kembar, Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal emphasized that cooperatives should be viewed as business institutions rather than social organizations. He urged members to shift their mindset and recognize that the success of a cooperative is dependent on the active participation of its members in transactions and the development of business units.

    “Cooperatives are business institutions founded by and for the members. I commend the Merah Putih Cooperative for taking the initiative to distribute essential commodities. This marks a promising start towards becoming a larger business entity,” he remarked during his visit to the KDMP Jembatan Kembar Timur Lembar on Thursday, February 26, 2026.

    To bolster capital strength, it was highlighted that a pool of Rp30 billion in People’s Business Credit (KUR) is currently available at Bank NTB, specifically designated for cooperatives and small-medium enterprises (SMEs). This low-interest funding is expected to act as a catalyst for cooperatives to elevate their business operations through well-structured business proposals.

    Governor Iqbal also stressed the importance of cooperatives’ involvement in the MBG program. Currently, there are over 800 MBG kitchens operating in NTB. However, local farmers supply only 30 percent of the egg demand, with the remainder coming from external sources.

    “This is a golden opportunity. Cooperatives can act as aggregators for the produce from their members’ households to supply the MBG kitchens. The demand is already established; it’s just about how cooperatives manage their supply chain,” he explained.

    Besides eggs, other commodities like chicken, milk, and bread present additional opportunities within the government’s food security framework.

    In conclusion, he encouraged all members to cultivate a sense of ownership towards their cooperatives by prioritizing shopping within their own cooperative instead of turning to modern retail outlets. This strategy is aimed at keeping economic circulation within the membership, ultimately benefiting them through the distribution of profit shares.

    Meanwhile, H. Ismail Darwan, the head of Jembatan Kembar Timur village, expressed his gratitude during his address, appreciating the governor’s visit, which he described as a long-awaited gesture of the provincial government’s commitment to rural development.

    “Thank goodness, our mothers have been patiently waiting to see the governor. We, as a community, extend our warm welcome and gratitude for your willingness to see our conditions firsthand,” he said.

    On the same occasion, Rustam Thamrin, the chairman of KDMP Jembatan Kembar Timur, reported on the cooperative’s progress. He explained that KDMP was established as a swift response to the President’s directive regarding food self-sufficiency.

    “Since May, we have swiftly recruited 96 members. Initially relying on a starting fund of Rp10 million, we began our business operations in September. Our management is dedicated, working through all weather conditions to procure goods from Bulog to serve our members,” Rustam reported.

    He added that in January, they secured a loan agreement of Rp25 million from Bank NTB to scale their business further. “With this significant capital, profits started to become evident. We are highly motivated to keep progressing,” he asserted.