Yayasan Lembaga Konsumen Indonesia (YLKI)

Indonesia ranks among the top five nations globally with the highest percentage increase in antimicrobial usage on farms worldwide. Despite the existence of animal welfare regulations in Indonesia, the country continues to adhere to one of the most minimal global standards. This may lead to an increasing risk of routine antibiotic usage on farms to compensate for the poor and cruel conditions that animals are kept in. Simultaneously, consumer awareness of farmed animal welfare standards is inadequate. 

These concerns have inspired the “Develop Consumers Demand for Higher Welfare Chicken Products based on Farm Animal Responsible Minimum Standards (FARMS)” initiative by the Indonesian Consumers Organization or Yayasan Lembaga Konsumen Indonesia (YLKI) in partnership with World Animal Protection. The project's overarching goal is to develop consumer demand for higher welfare products and to influence legislative changes on farmed animal welfare standards so that millions of broiler chickens can live better lives, in line with the FARMS criteria.  

This project aim is to improve animal welfare standards by increasing demand for higher welfare products. Within this perspective, there are three key players: consumers, corporates, and the government. Mobilization of customers, company commitments, and farmed animal welfare policy change are the critical mechanisms to achieve the goal. These mechanisms work as follows: first, consumer-focused advocacy and campaigning will create demand for higher welfare products; second, corporates will commit to using the FARMS in their operations to meet consumer demand; and lastly, the government will revise the current farmed animal welfare standard regulations and policies to be aligned with the FARMS. 

The project is based on the belief that consumers have the most influence on the supply chain. Project activities include consumer mobilization, which entails educating and empowering consumers to demand higher welfare products. It employs social media campaigns, especially during key dates such as World Antibiotic Awareness Week, to draw attention to the link between antimicrobial resistance and poor animal welfare, and to the necessity of raising the bar for farmed animals to help protect human health. Furthermore, journalists from different national media outlets have been trained on farmed animal welfare and antimicrobial resistance issues. As a result, information has been disseminated through various media platforms to approximately 76 million people across the country. 

The core of this project is the power of consumers. With such power, the project hopes to see the current farmed animal welfare policies and regulations revised in 2024 to be in line with the FARMS, and to witness a 70% increase (from the baseline data) in consumers seeking higher welfare products that comply with the FARMS. This effort embodies a positive shift towards ethical practices in animal husbandry, demonstrating the potential for meaningful change for all living beings.