Strengthening Indonesia's biosecurity
Every day, thousands of animals and animal products cross Indonesia's borders, driving economic growth but creating significant biosecurity risks. These invisible threats can disrupt industries, harm public health, and endanger ecosystems, making effective biosecurity critical for protecting Indonesia's livestock, food supply, and economy.
To address these challenges, FAO has partnered with Indonesia's Quarantine Authority through a technical cooperation project designed to transform the country's biosecurity system. This collaboration strengthens the authority's capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to transboundary animal diseases and zoonoses.
Six key focus areas
The partnership targets six critical outputs to enhance national biosecurity measures. First, a comprehensive assessment identified key gaps in quarantine procedures, disease monitoring, and traceability systems that require immediate attention.
Enhanced decontamination guidelines now provide detailed protocols for disinfecting personnel, transportation equipment, and quarantine facilities, ensuring safer animal movement while reducing disease transmission risks. Meanwhile, new traceability systems and policies create comprehensive frameworks for tracking animals and animal products throughout the supply chain.
The initiative also addresses modern challenges, including stricter standards for online trade of animals and animal products. As digital commerce grows, these new policies ensure product safety in the evolving marketplace.
Laboratory harmonization represents another crucial component, standardizing disease testing across Indonesia's vast territory to improve early detection and response capabilities.
The One Health approach
This biosecurity enhancement aligns with the One Health approach, recognizing the interconnection between human, animal, and environmental health. The project's vision is to establish a resilient agrifood system aligned with the One Health approach for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all.
The FAO-Indonesia partnership demonstrates how international collaboration can effectively address complex biosecurity challenges. By focusing on capacity building, policy development, and system integration, this initiative positions Indonesia to better protect its agricultural sector and contribute to global food security. As international trade continues expanding, such partnerships prove essential for managing biosecurity risks in our interconnected world.