“Sustainability is keyword to feed 7 billions on this blue planet. By visiting AGRITECHNICA ASIA, I found innovation of technology in agricultural sector which will answer the way to sustainability. By using this innovation in Asia, we can bring farmer from poverty line to better living, reduce deforestation and finally develop sustainability agricultural.”

“Good quality roughage is often available in Asia but poor conservation and storage conditions deteriorate very often the quality. Information about what good roughage is, how to conserve and store it, what roughage does can contribute highly to better milk production in their dairy herd.

Farmers often know more about energy, protein and minerals in the diet and often they believe that fiber is useless and only stomach filling. But a minimum level of roughage is needed to keep the rumen functioning. A ruminant is built to digest fibers and convert them into milk and meat. Long fiber stimulates the rumen wall and the content of the rumen is mixed and better broken down by the micro-organisms in the rumen fluid. Mainly these digested materials from the rumen are converted in milk. A cow has a relative big rumen and a lot of fiber can be converted into milk in the modern cow breeds. But apart from the fiber of course also protein, minerals etc are needed. So only fiber, or sometimes even lignine want is given to the cows is not suitable to produce a lot of milk. But without the fiber also no high milk yield can be expected.”

“3 Best Practices on Grass/Maize Farming to Improve Dairy Production

On fodder we are recommending national program on;
1. Re-planting the old king grass with better grass plant materials varieties
2. Getting the government support to include corn plant requirement for dairy feed in the government program to drive corn agriculture in Indonesia. Nestlé have actually voiced some 20,000 Ha of corn plantation to be supported by the government program in 2017
3. Nestlé runs productivity improvement program and has demonstrated that improved nutrition input/dry matter intake increase production by 40-50%

There is an urgent need for transforming the smallholder dairy farming, and should be driven by public private partnership collaboration, comprehensively addressing issues on shortage of fodder, quality of concentrate manufactured mostly by milk cooperatives, and technical assistance to farmers on quality and cows comfort – lacking in extension services to smallholder who are very traditional.”

“At first, farmers need reliable source of high yielding improved variety seeds. These should be insect or disease resistant, and also cold and drought resistant. Such varieties are developed through genetic improvement. However, it is not so easy. In such cases, low-cost and practical methods of controlling insect pests and disease needed need to be explored or developed. Use of pesticides is becoming very worrisome. Consumers need to be assured that the vegetables produced by commercial farmers are safe. Therefore, method of growing, handling, processing, transportation and storage should be monitored. Certification of products should be in place.”