Supporting Farmers to Face Climate Challenges, Indonesia-UN Launch Food Security Programme

Indonesia and the United Nations (UN) in Indonesia are committed to supporting smallholder farmers in reducing climate risks by launching the “UN Joint Programme: Leveraging Finance to Scale Up Climate Resilient Food Systems” in Jakarta on Thursday (9/4). According to an official statement from UNIC Jakarta on Friday (10/4), the programme expands access to financial services and strengthens the capacity of farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices through a joint initiative focused on East Java and Lampung. Deputy for Food, Natural Resources, and the Environment at Bappenas, Leonardo A. A. Teguh Sambodo, stated that the programme’s objectives align with national priorities, particularly in promoting the transformation of food systems and sustainable development directions. “This programme is expected to increase financing access for farmers and encourage the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture, improving farmer welfare, strengthening food security, and integrating with other priority programmes such as the Free Nutritious Meals,” said Leonardo. The programme will provide training to adopt innovative climate-smart agricultural practices, focusing on climate-resilient food crops such as water-saving rice for at least 15,000 farmers in East Java. Climate-smart agriculture encompasses a range of practices and technologies sensitive to local contexts that enable farmers to increase productivity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening resilience to climate change. To support this sustainable agriculture, the programme integrates and utilises existing innovative financing mechanisms, such as Indonesia’s climate insurance scheme and financing from the Environmental Fund Management Agency (BPDLH). Through the programme, smallholder farmers will be supported in implementing sustainable agriculture as a prerequisite for accessing climate insurance, including expanding access to the latest climate-smart technologies, such as solar-powered irrigation. The programme also aims to mobilise $150 million (Rp2.5 trillion) from Indonesia’s annual issuance of SDG Bonds, Green Bonds, and project-based Green Sukuk to finance sustainable practices and improve the nutritional content of rice for at least 300,000 smallholder farmers. Additionally, BPDLH is expected to channel microfinancing to at least 400 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) implementing creditworthy agro-silvo-pastoral projects that combine crop cultivation, forestry, and livestock farming. The programme will run from 2026 to 2027 and will be led by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRCO). The UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia, Gita Sabharwal, said that from the joint programme’s investment of $2 million (Rp34.2 billion), they target mobilising $205 million (Rp3.5 trillion) in public and private financing. “Through this joint programme, we hope to open up more investments from various stakeholders for smallholder farmers, women, and youth,” said the FAO Representative in Indonesia and Timor-Leste, Rajendra Aryal. The programme is supported by the Joint SDG Fund in collaboration with the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, and contributions from the European Union, as well as the governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.