Background

Decent work in the rural economy was set as one of the ILO’s eight Areas of Critical Importance (ACI) for the biennium 2014-2015. In response to the government of Indonesia’s request, a pilot project “Decent work for food security and rural development” was designed by the ILO in 2012 and discussed with the relevant stakeholders in Indonesia (Ministry of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, FAO, workers’ organizations and employers’ association). All stakeholders have shown strong interest in the implementation of the initial pilot project in targeted districts of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), one of the most vulnerable provinces of Indonesia for the period 2014-2015.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the ILO, FAO and the Ministry of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration for the implementation of the project. The ILO was able to secure funding (USD 634.914) to support this initial project activity for the period December 2013 to November 2014 through Luxemburg’s contribution. This project was extended twice (no-cost extension). The first extension was until February 2016 and the second, until 31 August 2016.

The joint programme was led by the Ministry of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration (Kemendes PDTT). The objective of the programme was to promote food security and sustainable poverty reduction of rural communities in the most vulnerable and disadvantaged districts of Indonesia’s NTT province, through increased labour productivity, enhanced employment opportunities that comply with the principles of decent work, and expanding entrepreneurial opportunities in key agro-food value chains – particularly maize, seaweed and livestock – with high employment and income generation potential. During 2014-2015, the agreed programme was mainly implemented in one districts of NTT namely Kupang in 3 sub districts, and an initial scooping study was made in East Sumba.

The project has also carried out an internal evaluation process in order to capture the progress and identify emerging good practice and lessons learned based on the implementation of the project since 2014 until June 2016. As part of the internal evaluation process the project would like to have a presentation of the evaluation findings to related stakeholders and at the same time share the findings specifically the emerging good practices, project strategies in promoting decent work for food security to potential donor.

Furthermore, following the ILO's Decent Work for Food Security and Sustainable Rural Development  (DW4FSSRD) Technical Workshop conducted in Kupang, NTT on the 18th of August 2016 with the project’s local stakeholders, the ILO is organizing a National Knowledge Sharing Workshop in order to discuss on appropriate approaches for promoting decent work in the national food security agenda for future sustainable village development under the medium development plan of Indonesia.

This event will share the DW4FSSRD in NTT project’s results and initiatives, and identify practical ways for future adaptation and replication of such initiatives. The results of this workshop and of the project in general will thus provide inputs to support of Indonesia government in promoting decent work in job rich- rural economic development.

Objectives

• Reflect on the importance of promoting decent work in rural economy and food security agenda in Indonesia.
• Discuss on approaches and initiatives to provide sustainable livelihoods and enable decent work creation in the context of rural economy in Indonesia, specifically in NTT. The DW4FSSRD in NTT pilot project’s approaches, including value chain, rural entrepreneurship participatory process approaches will be used as a case study.
• Identify practical steps for replication, adaptation or scaling up of such initiatives in the context of rural development in Indonesia specifically under the Indonesian bill on rural development.
• Brief potential donor on the current MoU of ILO-FAO and ministry of Village for the implementation of Decent Work for Food Security Project that are signed to be implemented until 2018 and seek potential support.