Ag Director hears it from rural entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship can give farming and the whole rural economy a crucial boost. The theory is clear enough. But there is no substitute for first-hand evidence. A senior Indonesian official recently heard directly from entrepreneurs.    

BAPPENAS is Indonesia’s central Ministry of National Development Planning. Given the importance of farming for the country’s economy, BAPPENAS is highly interested in the agricultural sector. The Ministry’s 900,000 employees also coordinate Indonesian international development cooperation. Two very good reasons to find out more about our work!

In December, the Director of Food and Agriculture, Anang Noegroho Setyo Moeljono, visited two Pancer Tani farmers’ hubs. The Pancer Tani program is driven by our local team at YASI. By October 2021, colleagues there had already established more than 240 young entrepreneurs as hub owners. Together, they work with well over 10,000 smallholders and generate an annual turnover of about $ 1.6 Million. “The program provides business opportunities for young rural people to flourish in agricultural business and serve the nation’s farmers”, says YASI head Teddy Tambu. “BAPPENAS experienced at first-hand what that means.”

Director Moeljono’s fact-finding session took him to East Java. Here he first met Andri, who runs a Pancer Tani near Malang. Andri explained how he has continuously developed his business in coffee seedlings and breeder seeds with guidance from local YASI Field Officer, Rizal.  Since joining the program, Andri has sold more than 1250 seedlings and his income has trebled. The second visit was to Dewi Sri’s Pancer Tani. Several of Dewi’s local hub owner counterparts joined the group there and discussed business progress with the BAPPENAS visitors. “I think Mr. Moeljono was pretty impressed”, comments Natasha Roring, YASI’s Partnership and Communication Lead. “He expressed great appreciation for the program and its impact.” 

YASI continues to look for new ways to establish rural business openings. “We’re keen to partner with both the public and private sectors, as well as academic institutions”, declares Teddy Tambu. “Currently, we’re focusing on stimulating young people's interest in the agricultural sector by also building up the accompanying rural economy.”  One such step followed soon after the BAPPENAS tour: At the turn of the year, YASI and Malang’s Regional Development Agency began exploring possible collaboration and new Pancer Tani opportunities.