Aceh Province is positioning itself to become a regional hub for red meat and food security. This follows a successful meeting where Governor Muzakir Manaf, commonly known as Mualem, secured a commitment from the Northern Territory of Australia to explore collaboration in the livestock and agricultural sectors.
As reported by antaranews.com, the initiative, led by Muzakir, seeks to adopt modern Australian farming and cattle breeding practices to revitalize Aceh’s economy. The meeting, which took place in Jakarta on Monday, October 27, 2025, involved the Aceh Governor and the Northern Territory Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon Gerard Maley.
Muzakir highlighted that the cooperation, especially in cattle breeding, is a crucial administration effort to stimulate economic growth for the people of Aceh, emphasizing the availability of resources.
“The Aceh administration is ready to undertake this cooperation and open opportunities for investors to invest in the livestock sector,” he said in a press release confirmed on Wednesday, October 29, 2025.
“Regarding the development of cattle farming or breeding, we have the land, and we will prepare it,” Muzakir added.
Beyond livestock, Mualem also identified potential collaboration in the agricultural sector. This includes programs like the cultivation of rice and corn, which are intended to support national food self-sufficiency.
Furthermore, Aceh’s world-renowned commodities were on the table. “Another potential commodity that can be developed is Aceh coffee, which is found in the Central Aceh region with the best quality that is already known worldwide, as it has been exported for a long time,” he added.
The Governor extended a direct invitation for the Australian official to visit Aceh, urging him to see the vast potential in the livestock and agricultural sectors firsthand.
Minister Gerard Maley welcomed the proposed partnership, indicating the Northern Territory’s readiness to supply beef cattle or breeding stock to Aceh. Gerard confirmed that a site visit would be arranged to determine the practical steps for collaboration.
“As for a visit to Aceh, we will likely send relevant officials there, so they can see for themselves the requirements for this cooperation,” he said.
The proposed cooperation is seen as a strategic move to leverage Aceh’s suitable geographical and climatic conditions, which Muzakir noted are similar to the Northern Territory’s tropical environment. This positioning makes the province a potential major supplier of halal meat to the Middle East and other Muslim countries. ***
\\rri.co.id/en/archipelago/1937154/aceh-explores-beef-cattle-partnership-with-australia
