Food security and rural development
ILO to share its lessons learnt in promoting food security and sustainable livelihoods
Food insecurity is one of the most significant development constraints in Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) Province of Indonesia. Food availability is significantly impacted by severe agro-climatic conditions and seasonality. Some efforts have been taken to assist the Government of NTT in promoting agricultural production and in adopting measures for its farmers.
The International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration and the Food Agricultural Organization (FAO), has developed a two-year joint programme on decent work for food security and sustainable development in NTT. Led by the Ministry of Villages, the joint programme was funded by the Luxembourg Agency for Development Cooperation and the ILO, focused on increased labour productivity, enhanced employment opportunities and expanding entrepreneurial opportunities in key agro-food value chains, particularly maize, seaweed and livestock.
The ILO is keen to continue working with the Government of Indonesia to further see how the initiatives and approaches taken to promote decent work for food security could be replicated and adapted in other areas of Indonesia. As rural development is also one of the main priorities for Indonesia, we hope that lessons learnt from this joint programme could continue provide local communities with better skills and capacities for enhancing productivity and competitiveness as well as improving incomes and livelihoods of farmers, agricultural workers and their families."
Francesco d’Ovidio, Country Director of ILO in Indonesia
To further share the progress obtained in the promotion of food security and sustainable rural development in NTT, the ILO is organizing a national knowledge-sharing workshop on food security and rural development on Wednesday, 23 November 2016, in Jakarta. The event will be officially opened by the Minister of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, H.E Eko Putro Sandjojo, Director for Sectoral Department of ILO Geneva, Alette Van Leur, and Country Director of the ILO for Indonesia, Francesco d’Ovidio. The event also marks the closing of this joint programme.
“The ILO is keen to continue working with the Government of Indonesia to further see how the initiatives and approaches taken to promote decent work for food security could be replicated and adapted in other areas of Indonesia. As rural development is also one of the main priorities for Indonesia, we hope that lessons learnt from this joint programme could continue provide local communities with better skills and capacities for enhancing productivity and competitiveness as well as improving incomes and livelihoods of farmers, agricultural workers and their families,” said Francesco d’Ovidio, Country Director of ILO in Indonesia.
The event is aimed at showcasing and sharing the achievements of the food security and rural development programme and its implementation challenges. The event also provides a forum for exchanging lessons learnt and best practices of the programme, to ensure that initiatives and approaches taken will be sustained and that the lessons learned will be able to mainstream throughout Indonesia. Some success, inspiring stories are shared by beneficiaries, emphasizing on participatory approach and the involvement of women and youth as well as on rural entrepreneurship for sustainable management.
For further information, please contact:
Irham SaifuddinILO’s Programme Officer
Tel.: +6221 391 3112 ext. 103
Email: irham@ilo.org
Yunirwan Gah
ILO’s Project Coordinator for Food Security
Email: yunirwan@ilo.org
Gita Lingga
ILO’s Communications Officer
Tel.: +6221 391 3112 ext. 115
Email: gita@ilo.org