Jakarta In 2011, VECO Indonesia teamed up with a new partner in Jakarta for the consumer awareness program. This organisation, Yayasan Lembaga Konsumen Indonesia (YLKI), which is concerned with consumer protection, joins the other three partners: Koalisi Rakyat untuk Kedaulatan Pangan (KRKP), Aliansi Petani Indonesia (API), and Perhimpunan Indonesia Berseru (PIB). YLKI and PIB work for the consumer awareness program, and KRKP and API for advocacy. One success story in 2011 was the advocacy of KRKP and networks in Aliansi LSM untuk Kedaulatan Pangan (NGO Alliance for Food Sovereignty) in support of the Desa Mandiri Pangan Menuju Desa Sejahtera (DMPDS) program. This program is run with the government of East Nusa
Tenggara province in three districts: East Sumba, North Central Timor, and East Flores. As well as VECO Indonesia and KRKP, other networks in this alliance include Oxfam, Bina Desa, PIB, Kehati, and Swisscontact. Throughout 2011, advocacy for food sovereignty made important achievements. First, growing recognition of KRKP’s role in supporting the DMPDS secretariats. The capacity of the East West Sumba and North Central Timor DMPDS secretariats has improved in terms of promotion and mobilising support from various quarters. Evidence of this is the additional funding, as well as goods and services, to the secretariats. With the presence of various local government agencies and community organisations,
the district secretariats are also starting to be able to implement Village Development Plans. On the ground, the capacity of farmer groups to manage their assets is also improving. One example is farmers in Mbatakapidu village, East Sumba. Within 3-6 months of funds being disbursed, group members were able to repay assets of IDR 17,370,000, comprising IDR 13,550,000 in loan principle and IDR 3,820,000 in loan interest. Women farmers in this village have also begun to gather funds from the proceeds of economic activities, such as weaving, as savings for their children’s education. These savings can be withdrawn only when the child completes senior secondary school.
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