Indonesia Eyes Stronger Agricultural Cooperation with USDA

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to expand technical cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), particularly in strengthening animal health and implementing national biosecurity measures to bolster food security.

“We see significant opportunities to broaden technical collaboration with USDA, especially in animal health and biosecurity,” Director General of Livestock and Animal Health at the ministry, Agung Suganda, said in Jakarta on Monday, February 9, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The statement came as the ministry welcomed a working visit by USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, Luke J. Lindberg, who arrived in Jakarta accompanied by dozens of U.S. exporters and agribusiness representatives.

Agung emphasized that the visit marked an important step toward deepening agricultural cooperation between Indonesia and the United States. Discussions focused on advancing mutually beneficial agricultural trade, including follow-up on negotiations for a reciprocal trade agreement.

He stressed that international cooperation must also safeguard the sustainability of Indonesia’s livestock sector. “Smallholder farmers and local producers are the backbone of our livestock subsector. Any trade partnership must be carefully assessed to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth,” Agung noted.

Strengthening biosecurity, technology transfer, innovation, and human resource development, he added, are key to enhancing national livestock resilience. “Through technical cooperation, we hope to drive downstream development and increase the added value of livestock products,” he said.

Meanwhile, USDA led a trade mission to Jakarta aimed at expanding market access, boosting U.S. agricultural exports, and leveraging opportunities from the U.S.-Indonesia Reciprocal Trade Agreement. The delegation included 41 agribusiness companies, trade organizations, and representatives from three state-level agriculture departments.

Lindberg described the mission as a concrete effort to translate trade opportunities into real transactions. “This mission allows us to turn the historic trade agreement with Indonesia into tangible sales for American farmers and producers,” he said.

He highlighted Indonesia’s growing role as a major market in Southeast Asia. “Indonesia is one of the largest and fastest-growing markets in the region, with rising demand for high-quality agricultural products from the United States,” Lindberg added.

The reciprocal trade agreement, he concluded, opens significant opportunities for both countries to expand agricultural exports while building a sustainable partnership. ***