Global Financial Crisis its Impact to Rural Community

Global Financial Crisis: its Impact to Rural Community Organizing Bina Desa/In. DHRRA

Impact of The Crisis • Decreasing of Export • Triggering of inflation rate • Triggering of increasing prices of food, agriculture inputs, fuel and other basic needs • Collapse of real sector • Mass Laid Off—flood back to their places of origin in poor rural communities. More stress on families already struggling to feed themselves • Collapse of rural informal sector • For Fishery; Increase of Indonesian debt to ADB for ‘fishery sector development’

Impact to the Rural Communities (Peasant, Women and Artisan Fisher) • Majority of rural community live in agriculture sector (small food producer). However, they did not get any benefit from the increasing price of food. • In the contrary, cost of production is soaring up; -seed, fertilizer and other inputs-- peasant -fuel, ice and food for fishing, even they can’t fishing– fisherfolk while selling price of their produce is lower: • Their income supported by off farm activities (small trader, small enterprise etc) while the sector is collapse • Rural women should find other jobs that means adding more work and working hours • Women are among the poorest and most disadvantaged socially, economically and politically

Impact to the Rural Community Organizing • The community is forced to look for income, difficult to find time for social activities and limited space for awareness raising efforts • Decrease the community contributions for various capacity building activities • More children working in the field for more income

Ways to challenge the crisis • Community empowerment through Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Aquaculture using local available resources, local wisdom, where gender equality is recognized for sustainable livelihood • Develop critical engagement among stakeholders with government for pro-poor policies and nation sovereignty