The two-day event was attended by more than 50 alumni from various provinces throughout Indonesia and from a variety of backgrounds, including government frontline staff (paramedics), veterinarians, farmers, small scale business owners, as well as young entrepreneurs. The event was the second alumni symposium, with the first having been held in 2019.

Those attending the symposium represented more than 1,500 alumni who have  joined 60 trainings carried out through the SDP since 2019. Launched in 2014, the SDP has supported capacity development throughout the cattle sector supply chain, covering topics such as pregnancy testing, reproductive health management, animal welfare, commercial cattle breeding management, small-scale commercial livestock business, as well as the internship program of Northern Territory Cattle Association Indonesia Pastoral Program (NIAPP).

This year’s Alumni Symposium was focused on the theme of “Exploring Indonesian Cattle Industry Development”. The event presented an overview of industrial resilience and future prospects of the Indonesia cattle sector through a talk show with speakers including Joni Liano, Executive Director of Indonesian Beef Cattle Breeding Business Association (GAPUSPINDO); Suhandri, General Secretary of Indonesian Meat Importing Entrepreneurs Association (ASPIDI); Dicky Adiwoso, Founder of Juang Jaya Abadi Farm; Valeska, Regional Manager Southeast Asia of Meat & Livestock Australia; and Yudhistira Pratama, Chief Supply Chain Officer of Halleen Australasian Livestock Traders.

A talk session also featured speakers from university training service providers collaborating with the Partnership. Prof. Dahlanuddin, Professor at University of Mataram; Panjono, Lecturer at Gadjah Mada University; and Muhammad Agil, Lecturer at IPB University discussed their  universities increasing capacities to deliver professional training courses.

Prof. Dahlanuddin explained how to ensure the training materials suit participants needs.

“During the registration process, the training team analyzed the participants’ background. Then, we decide on which aspects we need to focus on. For example, if the participants had already quite a lot of  business experience we may focus the material on business analysis. We also keep improving the materials and delivery based on the feedback of previous batch participants. Last but not least, we design the training to be not only about knowledge, but as a platform for the participants to broaden their network,” – Prof. Dahlanuddin.

The alumni also  had the chance to learn from fellow alumni about the challenges faced in the sector and how alumni have developed solutions to overcome them, through the “Alumni Inspiring Talks” session. The session featured three alumni from the small-scale commercial livestock business training, reproductive health management training, and NIAPP.  

Agnes Ariadina, who joined the Small-scale Livestock Business Training in 2022 shared that the training helped her to focus her business.

“I started my journey in a farmer group, before establishing my own business in 2022, not so long after I joined the training. I still remembered that at the training I consulted one of the trainer about the issue I had back then, and got the advice that, ‘If you establishing your own business it will help you to be more focused and aligned with what you are dreaming. I suggest you just do it.’. The knowledge I gained matched our needs as small-scale entrepreneurs. It also open my horizon in finding my business’ vision, mission and goals. Until now, I often still open the training module book to solve issues in my farm. During the training, we visited a farm to see how they run their business. That activity inspired me a lot. I now know that we can start from small steps, one step at a time, and we will arrive at our bigger destination. In this training, I also learned that female farmers are as capable as men. Therefore, I will always keep walking forward and focus on developing my business,” – Agnes Ariadina.

The Partnership is confident that the Alumni Symposium broadened the alumni’s horizons and built stronger networks with other players in the sector, as well as inspiring them in their continued commitment to  advancing the cattle sector in Indonesia.