8th Community of Practice (CoP) Meeting on Nutrition-Sensitive Agricultural Extension: A Successful Collaboration
The 8th meeting of the Community of Practice (CoP) on Nutrition-Sensitive Agricultural Extension (CoP Penyuluhan Sensitif Gizi) was successfully held on Friday, 21st February 2025, bringing together diverse participants from various sectors, including representatives from Polbangtan Bogor (Agricultural Development Polytechnic Bogor) and Rural Advisory Services for Southeast Asia (RASSEA).
This meeting focused on integrating nutrition-sensitive practices into agricultural extension, particularly on livestock farming. The event provided a platform to discuss the challenges and strategies for improving nutrition and food security through agricultural extension services, addressing the triple burden of malnutrition.
Key Highlights:
- Polbangtan Bogor’s Participation: Polbangtan Bogor, known for its extensive extension programs in agriculture and animal husbandry, shared valuable insights from their initiatives, contributing to the meeting’s collaborative atmosphere.
- Sustainable Agri-Food Systems: The concept behind this Community of Practice is rooted in promoting sustainable agri-food systems, ensuring that agricultural practices are both productive and sensitive to nutrition needs.
- Addressing Key Challenges: One of the significant challenges discussed was the high methane emissions from animal husbandry, as well as issues related to feed quality, land limitations, and the aging farmer population.
- Focus on Dairy Farming: A significant part of the meeting involved a presentation by Dr Arif Nindyo Kisworofrom Polbangtan Bogor, who highlighted a dairy cattle development project in collaboration with Mercy USA. This project aimed to improve dairy production and nutrition in West Java and West Sumatra. It also involved training farmers on cattle management, feed production, and milk processing in the production process.
- Impact and Future Directions: The project increased milk production and helped farmers develop processed dairy products. Plans focus on expanding the program to new areas, improving collaboration with local governments, and addressing marketing and farmer regeneration challenges.
To further engage participants, a short quiz was held after the presentation, testing participants’ knowledge on the discussed topics. The quiz served as a fun and interactive way for attendees to reflect on the material and solidify their understanding of the key points.
Discussion Points:
- Improving Milk Production: Participants discussed how improving feed quality could boost milk production and the role of cooperatives in supporting dairy farmers.
- Farmer Challenges: The meeting explored challenges farmers face, such as limited land for feed, issues with milk and feed pricing, and the need for youth involvement in farming.
- Collaboration and Partnerships: Participants expressed enthusiasm for potential collaborations and partnerships to create a broader impact in the sector and looked forward to future CoP meetings as a platform to continue knowledge-sharing and strengthen networks.
As we progress, the 8th CoP meeting has provided valuable lessons and actionable insights, continuing the momentum towards improving agricultural extension services sensitive to nutrition and the broader sustainable development goals.
We look forward to seeing the impact of these discussions on future initiatives and the next CoP meeting, scheduled for March 2024.
Thank you to all participants for their contributions, and we hope to continue collaborating towards a more nutritious and sustainable future in agriculture.
For more details, you can download the Meeting Materials.
