Yogyakarta, Indonesia – AsiaDHRRA and Bina Desa, together with CSA and Agriterra, organized a three-day farmers’ organizations (FOs) and partners exchange forum, with the theme: “Building Synergy and Cooperation among Partner FOs and Their Supporting Agri-Agencies in the Development and Growth of FOs.” The forum and synergy was held last 22-24 May 2016 at Sheraton Hotel, Yogyakarta, Indonesia with support from AgriCord and the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Affairs (DGIS, Netherlands). It was attended by at least 33 representative from agri-agencies, and, leaders of national and local FO, namely: Aliansi Petani Indonesia (API), Amanah Cooperative, Kooperasi Permata Gayo, Komunitas Swabina Pedesaan Salassae (KSPS), Ngudi Makmur, Ngudi Mulyo, Petani Organik Dairi, Serikat Paguyuban Petani Qaryah Thayyibah (SPPQT), Serikat Petani Indonesia (SPI), Kelompok Petani Alami (KPA), and, Wahana Masyarakat Tani dan Nelayan Indonesia (WAMTI).
The forum is the very first in bringing together FO leaders supporterd by their respective agri-agencies under the Farmers Fighting Program (FFP) in Indonesia. It aims to:
- Enable FOs to meet and to learn from each other, and their support organizations, as well;
- Link local work of partner FOs with national, regional, and global developments impacting agriculture, food systems (production, markets), identify issues, challenges faced, and solutions; and,
- Facilitate discussions on strengthening of FO services to members and plans for areas for joint action, learning exchanges and other forms of cooperation.
A presentation of case briefs written by 9 local FOs were presented covering three agricultural commodities: beras (rice), kopi (coffee), and, kakao (cocoa). The cases featured each FO’s unique experience in influencing local units of national government agencies and local programs and budgets to support their economic initiatives. The forum also featured a walk-through exhibit wherein FOs showcased their respective technologies and products.
The three-day activity was capped with a field visit in the cacao farms of Ngudi Mulyo in Gunung Kidul. It was an opportunity for the FO leaders to engage each other on the available on-site farm technologies implemented by Ngudi Mulyo.
One concrete output of the exchange visit was the commitment made between two FOs Ngudi Mulyo and Ngudi Makmur—the latter will sell rice seeds to Ngudi Mulyo at a lower price than the commercial seeds. Both Ngudi Mulyo and Ngudi Makmur are being supported by InDHRRA.
AsiaDHRRA is a member of the Agricord since 2012.
