Indonesian university students are eagerly volunteering to work on dusty Top End cattle stations as part of a thriving initiative to build trust and familiarity between Australia and its valued near-northern export market.
For five years northern beef producers have been building an exchange program which has heightened understanding about Australian agriculture, particularly beef cattle production, and those living and working in the industry.
It’s also helping the northern pastoral sector better understand Indonesian ambitions, culture, and some language basics.
Last year the number of visiting animal husbandry students willing to swap campus life for the outback rigours and camaraderie of remote cattle station work jumped to 20.
Another 10 young women and 10 men last month graduated from the latest 10 week program.
It spans all aspects of station life from mustering and pregnancy testing to learning how cattle producers manage and market their stock.
“It’s a valuable two-way learning experience for everybody involved,” said Consolidated Pastoral Company (CPC) chief executive officer, Troy Setter.
“These students are the future agribusiness leaders, decision makers and policy planners in government.
“It’s a life-changing experience which they continue to relish long after they’ve moved into business, academia or government positions back in Indonesia.”
CPC has 375,000 head running on 19 stations, and hosted students on three of those properties.
The company knows the value of strong ties between the agriculture sectors in both countries.
For two decades CPC has had business relationships in Indonesia which now include two majority owned joint venture feedlots, fruit, palm oil, pepper and corn cropping operations.
Indonesia takes up to 50,000 young cattle annually from CPC’s Australian properties.
“We don’t place any limitations or boundaries on what the students experience while they’re here, and at the same time it’s important our station employees are gaining a good understanding about Indonesia, too,” Mr Setter said.
“It’s about developing long-term bonds and understanding at all levels so we can strengthen the trust and diplomatic ties already existing between northern Australia and Indonesia.”
This year the exchange program, managed by the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association (NTCA), drew animal husbandry students in their third and fourth years at 14 Indonesian universities.
Another two universities had applicants among the many unable to win a spot on this year’s intake.
Students receive an initial few days of orientation to Australian life in Darwin, then spend two weeks at Charles Darwin University’s Katherine campus on a health and safety training program and learning the basics of stock handling.
They encounter everything from riding horses and ag bikes to field tasks they can expect in station stock camps.
Apart from CPC, two family owned stations host the visitors, mostly in pairs working alongside station stockmen and women, while other students are placed on three Heytesbury Cattle Company stations and two S. Kidman and Company properties.
The Australian Agricultural Company hosts a pregnancy testing training course.
The novel exchange program with the world’s most populous Muslim nation began after the contentious 2011 ban on live cattle exports.
The NTCA seized the initiative to cultivate fresh understanding about the beef sectors and cultural differences in both countries.
A memorandum of understanding signed in 2012 with two universities in East Java and West Java now extends to numerous institutions and Indonesia’s animal science society.
A reciprocal exchange visit takes station hosts and employees on an eye-opening 10-day Indonesian industry tour in October.
NTCA project manager, Carley Bidstrup, said students arriving here each April have varying degrees agricultural exposure, but great enthusiasm for livestock and the industry.
Some have grown up in rural villages with a first hand understanding of cattle (herds of up to about 12 head), while others are more familiar with goats or poultry.
Some from metropolitan backgrounds have minimal practical livestock experience.
“The program’s clear and agreed focus is not only to impart practical and technical learning, but to establish and expand relationships for mutual growth and benefit,” Ms Bidstrup said.
“Some students intend returning to Australia to get more experience and add Masters qualifications to their current degree studies.
“Two from this year’s intake were very keen to work in government roles to influence policies to promote the success of the red meat industry.”
Many past program participants now had Indonesian beef sector jobs, including two graduates now employed by our peak red meat body Meat and Livestock Australia.
Applicants are assessed on their passion for agriculture and English skills.
“Most students have a pretty good grasp of English, which is important because they need to understand directions and basic safety rules while here,” Ms Bidstrup said.
Mr Setter agreed.
“They’re impressive individuals - and their English skills are much better than our Indonesian,” he said.
“Learning Bahasa, or another Asian language, should be considered a pretty important skill for people working in our industry.
“Indonesia has a huge population (250 million), a fast growing middle class and a rapidly developing economy.
“It’s not just a massive potential buyer of our beef, but will become a major supplier of Australian imports.”