Australia and Indonesia were discussed in February 2007 during consultations between ACIAR and representatives of relevant government ministries and agencies, universities, the Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI), the private sector and farmer associations. More detailed consultations were also held through the SADI in four eastern Indonesian provinces in November 2006 and early 2009, through the relevant Provincial Technology Commissions. Priorities throughout the program were refined during further consultation in 2008-09. In eastern Indonesia there are opportunities to capitalise on linkages between central research institutions (mainly based in Java) and institutions undertaking location-specific adaptive research that directly addresses farmers' needs.
In 2009-10 the collaborative program will emphasise animal health and production, crop production, protection and postharvest handling (with an emphasis on horticultural and tree crops), forestry, fisheries and agribusiness and agricultural policy research. Agreed thematic areas for cooperation are as follows:
Subprogram 1: Improved policies to underpin agribusiness development
Analysis and piloting of policy changes, including new and competitive trading relationships, to improve access for smallholders into emerging markets
Addressing policy requirements to support structural adjustment (rural transformation, including impacts of land tenure, farm size and food pricing policies) and agricultural diversification to achieve production change and meet market requirements
Analysis of policy requirements to support fisheries production, postharvest management, processing and marketing of fisheries products.
Subprogram 2: Livestock production and biosecurity
Establishment of effective disease surveillance, control policies and systems
Detection and management of risks of disease transfer with movement of livestock
Improved understanding of the behaviour of avian influenza virus in village and commercial poultry, with and without vaccination, and the role of ducks in disease transmission
Establishment of control options and procedures to control zoonotic diseases including rabies, anthrax, brucellosis and cysticercosis
Research to support the development of the smallholder commercial cattle sector, particularly simple effective feeding and management practices and improved supply-chain linkages with urban markets.
Subprogram 3: Research to underpin the development of competitive horticultural agribusinesses
Introduction of technical and policy requirements for the establishment of low-pest areas and capacity development in quarantine of plant products
Quality improvement and improved market access in mangoes and mangosteens, including through the management of pests, fungal diseases and physiological disorders
Improvement in value-addition and marketability of mangosteen through management of physiological disorders, pest control and better shelf life
Implementation of improved management systems for major pests and diseases of bananas
Development of clonal rootstocks and postharvest management and packaging systems for avocados
Improvement in production and pest management systems for shallots
Development of postharvest handling and valueaddition for tropical ornamental horticultural crops, spices and indigenous vegetables.
Subprogram 4: Profitable smallholder aquaculture and agroforestry systems
4.1 Smallholder aquaculture
Review of policy options to guide expansion and intensification of aquaculture, including development and application of decision-support tools and planning frameworks to assist farmers, planners and policymakers, particularly at the local level
Delivery of more reliable diagnostic services to farmers for viral disease of shrimp through improved application of PCR technology
Control and management of new or emerging viral threats, including Taura syndrome and marine finfish diseases
Development of cost-effective formulated feeds for high-value species, with reduced reliance on fish-based protein
Extension by farmer groups of 'better management practices' production packages enhanced to address product quality, food safety and supply chains to increase market performance.
4.2 Agroforestry systems
Understanding of incentives for small-scale community plantings, including:
policies and institutions for profitable agroforestry and community forestry
analysis of systems (including outgrower schemes) and markets that produce intermediate returns for smallholders
Matching of community forestry sites to species in variable environments, including:
site classification and selection of species combinations and improved planting materials, taking markets and cultural preferences into account
selection of silvicultural systems and development of replicable extension models adapted for smallscale plantings.
Subprogram 5: Sustainable use and management of fisheries and profitable utilisation of forestry resources
5.1 Fisheries resources
Alternative, innovative assessment and management frameworks that address the problem of resource data limitations and piloting in shared and common-interest fisheries
Establishment of effective co-management arrangements between fishers and the cage aquaculture industry in inland reservoirs and open bodies of water
Better management of IUU fishing in seas managed by Indonesia alone, with attention to improving existing reporting and regulation shortcomings; and analysis of institutional and regulatory frameworks and linkages between different levels of government
Regional cooperation in the monitoring of sharks and rays landed from the Indian Ocean and shark fin export-import data, to obtain a better understanding of regional trade flows
Quality and food safety improvement of fishery products in relation to catch, handling, processing (and processing facilities) and marketing in order to reduce losses and improve product competitiveness.
5.2 Forestry resources
Review of policy options and economic assessment of smallholder forestry options to address climate change mitigation
Improvement in post-decentralisation forest governance and administration through action research at provincial and district levels
Application of improved silvicultural strategies and governance arrangements to appropriately sited plantation species
Capturing more value from forestry plantation species through improved processing technologies and development of new products matched to appropriate markets
Pest and disease management for plantation forests.
Subprogram 6: Profitable agribusiness systems for eastern Indonesia
This subprogram integrates work on livestock, horticultural crop production and aquaculture with a geographical focus on eastern Indonesia. The improvement of the capacity of eastern Indonesian providers to support market-driven adaptive research is a cross-cutting theme. There are three focal areas in this program, which covers both SADI-funded and ACIAR-funded projects in South Sulawesi and South- East Sulawesi and West and East Nusa Tenggara, as well as Papua and West Papua.
6.1 Adapting smallholder management practices to reduce vulnerability and improve profitability
Improvement in productivity and profitability of field crop systems in seasonally dry areas
Improvement in uptake of better crop management technologies in rainfed rice systems and development of other components of the rotation
Market development and the fostering of technology uptake in irrigated rice systems
Development of more water-efficient maize and legume cropping systems that are better linked to input and output markets
Development of production systems that integrate field crops and livestock into plantation crops
Development of locally adapted postharvest technology for field crops.
6.2 Benefiting from high-value products
Management of pests and diseases and development of high value markets for cashew nut, cocoa and coffee
Improved culture and marketing systems for mariculture species such as lobster and seaweed
Industry development for specialty tropical fruits in eastern Indonesia, including mango, citrus and passionfruit.
6.3 Increasing demand for animal protein
Understanding of policies to increase Indonesian sufficiency in beef production, including factors affecting adoption of improved forages, off-take of productive cows, and improving reproduction rates and market linkages
Development of sustainable systems that integrate livestock with crops for the dry tropics of eastern Indonesia and smallholder plantation areas
Enhancement of Bali cattle and goat productivity to meet market specifications through improved management of feed and reproduction.
Subprogram 7: Technical cooperation to improve the productivity and profitability of agriculture and fisheries in Aceh
Improved productivity and development of human capacity and infrastructure for brackish-water aquaculture of shrimp and finfish
Restoration of tsunami-affected soils, farming systems and seed supply systems to improve field crop and vegetable production.
