Jakarta, March 12, 2009
–The Australian and Indonesian Governments and IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, are working together to help small farmers in Indonesia improve their income by linking them to the global supply chain.
The three parties today hosted the 2009 Sustainable Agribusiness Supply Chain Forum targeted at potential agribusiness firms. This is part of the Australia Indonesia Partnership’s Smallholder Agribusiness Development Initiative to improve the livelihoods of small farmers in rural areas.
The forum aims to promote good social and environmental practices in agribusiness and demonstrate how linking small farmers into the global supply chain can lead to better income, competitiveness, and sustainability.
Opening the event, the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Bill Farmer, said the conference would give people in the agribusiness sector the opportunity to share their experiences in supply chain management.
“The Australian Government is committed to supporting the Indonesian Government’s efforts to improve livelihoods in rural areas,” Mr. Farmer said. “I hope this conference will promote critical thinking and discussion about how to increase market share and profitability for small farmers.”
Adam Sack, IFC Country Manager for Indonesia, said “We believe that by linking small farmers to global markets, which value food that is raised and procured in an environmentally and socially conscious manner, farmers and rural households will be able to improve their income. This will help reduce poverty in Indonesia.”
The two-day forum offered executives from emerging East Asian companies, including Indonesia, the chance to learn from industry leaders from India, China, East Africa and Latin America. Issues discussed at the conference included how to meet international protocols, establish and finance smallholder systems and minimize environmental and disease risk. Participants also talked about ways to improve product availability and environmental and socially-responsible programs and initiate worker health and safety programs.
IFC has made agribusiness a priority as part of its commitment to help reduce poverty and improve people’s lives. IFC provides financial and advisory support to the agribusiness sector along the full value chain directly to companies and indirectly through intermediaries (e.g. agro processors, traders, financial institutions).
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, creates opportunity for people to escape poverty and improve their lives. We foster sustainable economic growth in developing countries by supporting private sector development, mobilizing private capital, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments. Our new investments totaled $16.2 billion in fiscal 2008, a 34 percent increase over the previous year. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
.
About Australia Indonesia Partnership
Through the Australia Indonesia Partnership the two countries are committed to working together to reduce poverty and promote regional peace, stability and prosperity. This includes improving the livelihoods of smallholders and others in rural areas. Development assistance in this field is provided by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) in partnership with Indonesia's National Planning Agency (BAPPENAS).
