Jakarta, Indonesia – National Farmers Organizations Alainsi Petani Indonesia (API) Serikat Petani Indonesia (API), IPPHTI, and WAMTI held a national farmers deliberation to ask for protection of farmers rights on 20 April 2017 in Jakarta, Indonesia. This discussion on an important national agenda was attended by 200 representatives of local farmers organizations from 30 provinces in Indonesia. The event is supported by AFOSP-MTCP2.
Among the representatives of the farmers who attended the consultation was Zulkifli Hasan, chairman of the Indonesia Consultative Assembli (MPR), Dr. Viva Yoga Mauladi of the Agriculture Commission of the Indonesia House of Representatives, Erani Yustika, General Director for Empowerment of Villagers from Minister of Village, Dr. Jamaludin, General Director for Agrarian Reform from Minister of Agraria and Spatial, Dr. Ir. Ranny Mutiara Chaidirsyah, Director for Extension Service and Human Resources Development, Central of Agriculture Extension Services Body from Ministry of Agriculture, and a representative from National Human Rights Commission (KOMNAS HAM).
Generally, the National Farmers Deliberation asks for the commitment of the government to protect farmers’ rights. “Small farmers often face pressure from several parties including government officials when land conflicts occur. Currently, agrarian inequality has occurred and reached an alarming stage. Therefore, we ask for the commitment of the government to accelerate the implementation of agrarian reform and protect farmers’ rights,” said Agusdin Pulungan in his opening speech.
Meanwhile, Henri Saragih of La Via Campesina said, “Farmers’ rights protection is very important and substantial to ensure farmers welfare. We must promote the implementation of farmers’ rights protection so that these are carried out consequently. We must also promote farmers’ rights declaration at Human Rights Council in the United Nations.”
“Because of the low farmer protection by the government, the price of the production at the farmer level is often played by the market. This situation is exacerbated by the length of the distribution chain. We face problems in providing quality seeds to increase food production. However, when farmers have the initiative to produce seed, it is not empowered or protected. They get pressure from government officials in the field, even farmers were criminalized. As a case example are farmers in Kediri. There is only one case in Kediri, but maybe there are many cases in other areas which are only the tip of the iceberg. The problems indicate the low government protection of farmers’ rights,” said Aminulah S. Tahumil, API Chairperson from Central Sulawesi.
Meanwhile, the government is committed to the protection of farmers’ rights, empowering farmers, supporting farmers in increasing production and market access and accelerate the implementation of the land distribution of 9 million hectares.
Dr. Zulkifli Hasan, Chairperson of the Indonesia Consultative Assembly (MPR) said, “Through MPR, we will encourage and oversee government program for land distribution 9 million hectares for farmers and other government programs.”
Viva Yoga Mauladi of the Agriculture Commission of the House of Representatives promised to oversee and ensure that the government program must support small farmers. “Through the Agriculture Commission, I will oversee and coordinate with related ministries to encourage implementation of land reform programs and other relevant government programs for farmers.”
Prof. Dr. Erani, General Director for Empowerment of Villagers from the Minister of Village said that “We will oversee and encourage the use of village funds to empower farmers in the rural areas. In 2016, the budget for the village fund is 45 trillion and it was increased by 60 trillion in 2017. We hope that the village fund can be utilized to empower farmers in rural areas.”
“We will prioritize the settlement of land conflicts and land distribution program of 9 million hectares for farmers as well as data has been submitted by farmer organization,” Mr. Jamaludin, General Director for Agrarian Reform from Minister of Agraria and Spatial added.
Dr. Ir. Ranny Mutiara, Director for Extension Service and Human Resources Development, Central of Agriculture Extension Services Body said, “The Ministry of Agriculture will always support the farmer empowerment in intensification and extensification. It is very important to increase production and improve farmers’ welfare.”
The consultation achieved a joint commitment to:
- improve farmers right protection,
- increase farmer protection and empowerment,
- encourage the acceleration of the implementation of land distribution of 9 million hectares and resolve land conflict,
- encourage the use of village fund to support farmer empowerment in rural areas,
- oversee government policy process and program on the national level and its implementation on the local level, and,
- increase involvement and role of farmer organizations on the national level until local level to oversee implementation of government program and policy process.
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