I have seen in Mojokerto how smallholder farmers can become empowered\nwhen their ecosystem is complete, from guidance, financing, to market\ncertainty. This is often the missing link on the ground<\/p>\n
Jakarta (ANTARA) \u2013 The Ministry of Coordination for People\u2019s\nEmpowerment (Kemenko PM) is exploring collaboration with Bayer Indonesia\nto support farmers\u2019 economic empowerment through the Better Life Farming\n(BLF) and Perintis Berdaya programmes.<\/p>\n
Leontinus Alpha Edison, Deputy for the Coordination of People\u2019s\nEconomic Empowerment and Migrant Worker Protection at Kemenko PM, stated\nin Jakarta on Tuesday that strengthening farmers on the ground can be\nenhanced through collaborative measures and a comprehensive\necosystem.<\/p>\n
The initiative began with a Kemenko PM visit and multi-stakeholder\ndialogue at the Better Life Farming Center (BLFC) in Mojokerto, East\nJava, on Friday (22 May).<\/p>\n
From the outset, he added, the Perintis Berdaya programme was not\ndesigned to create new initiatives from scratch, but to weave together\nexisting good initiatives like Better Life Farming so they can be\nexpanded and replicated.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe approach is empowerment, not assistance; the goal is for farmers\nto be independent, have bargaining power, and not be dependent,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He stressed that cross-sector collaboration is key.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe at Kemenko PM cannot work alone. In fact, we are open to inviting\nthe private sector, financing institutions, and supply chain actors to\nsit together. The BLF model is already operational; our task is to\nensure the ecosystem grows broader and not \u2018siloed\u2019. Hopefully, future\ncollaborations can truly empower,\u201d said Leontinus.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Bayer Crop Science\u2019s Agriculture Affairs & LTO Lead\nfor Indonesia, Aditia Rusmawan, explained that the potential partnership\nis a significant step towards delivering inclusive impact on a larger\nscale.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are very open to cross-sector and government collaboration. The\nnational BLF and Perintis Berdaya partnership initiative is expected to\naccelerate rural agricultural transformation across Indonesia. Through\nthe BLFC visit in Mojokerto, we see how implementing a closed-loop\nmodel, cultivation technology, and superior seeds can boost farmers\u2019\nproductivity,\u201d said Aditia.<\/p>\n
With government macro-policy support, he expressed optimism that this\nvillage-based ecosystem strengthening model could be massively\nreplicated across provinces to realise the welfare of smallholder\nfarmers.<\/p>\n
BLF\u2019s presence has proven to deliver significant positive impacts,\nsuch as a 34% increase in agri-kiosk revenue and 15-25% higher\nproductivity for BLFC farmers.<\/p>\n
According to the latest data from Mojokerto Regency\u2019s Central\nStatistics Agency (BPS) and East Java\u2019s sectoral reports, Mojokerto\nholds a strategic position in the regional agricultural landscape.<\/p>\n
Despite being in East Java\u2019s main industrial corridor, agriculture\nremains a significant pillar of the real economy. Therefore, efforts to\nenhance productivity and income for farmers, particularly smallholders,\nare needed to deliver broader economic benefits.<\/p>\n
Imam Baihaqi, a farmer and owner of BLFC CV Kirana Juara Abadi from\nPesanggrahan village, Kutorejo subdistrict, Mojokerto Regency, East\nJava, revealed that the biggest challenges have been uncertainty\u2014from\ninitial planting capital, correct cultivation methods, to where to sell\nharvests at good prices.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough the BLF ecosystem, we receive comprehensive guidance from\nupstream to downstream, including financing and market access. The\nimpact is tangible\u2014my BLFC kiosk\u2019s turnover has quadrupled,\u201d said\nImam.<\/p>\n
He hopes the BLF and Perintis Berdaya collaboration plan can be\nrealised soon.<\/p>\n
\u201cGovernment support would certainly expand the programme\u2019s reach,\nallowing more farmers to benefit from tangible gains,\u201d he added.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ministry-of-coordination-for-peoples-empowerment-collaborates-with-bayer-to-support-farmers-economic-1780086695", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }