Ensuring Farmers’ Welfare

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

Farmers harvest cayenne pepper in Pagergunung Village, Ngablak, Magelang, Central Java, on Tuesday (9/22/2020).

If it gets passed, the omnibus bill on job creation, particularly its food and agriculture cluster, requires derivative regulations to ensure farmers’ welfare.

On Thursday (8/10/2020), Kompas daily published a report regarding a number of articles in the omnibus bill on job creation that altered several articles in numerous laws concerning food, agriculture and farmer protection. The bill aims to facilitate food imports, as is evident in Article 64, which stipulates imports as one of the country’s food sources and equivalent to two other primary sources, namely domestic food production and national food stocks. This sh

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Article 64 stipulates as well that in terms of domestic food production, the interests of farmers, fishermen, fish farmers and owners of micro and small food businesses will be served through tariff and non-tariff measures, which demonstrate how articles in the omnibus bill are primarily designed to accommodate the interests of international trade.

The omnibus bill on job creation intends to stimulate investment and increase employment opportunities, all of which should produce good results. Regardless, people’s trust in the bill’s supposedly good intentions must be accompanied with an assurance that the bill was formulated in an honorable manner and that it will benefit the majority of the people.

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

Farm workers thresh the unhulled rice from their harvest in Kebondowo Village, Banyubiru District, Semarang Regency, Central Java, on Monday (28/9/2020).

Regarding food supplies, Indonesia, a vast, archipelagic country with a population of 270 million, must establish domestic food resilience. This has become even more urgent as the world is facing imminent threats from climate change. Furthermore, there are always unexpected risks as well, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, which affects global food production and distribution, and regional geopolitics.

Indonesia must honor international trade agreements through the World Trade Organization and other multilateral agreements.

Domestic interests, however, still must be prioritized. Nearly half of Indonesia’s population work as farmers, fishermen, stock farmers and planters. While the majority of these people are not considered poor, they are not as prosperous as people ought to be in a country as big and bountiful as Indonesia.

The goal is to protect their farmers and domestic food production.

Almost all countries protect their farmers and fishermen through every possible measure, such as Japan and the European Union, which purchase domestic farmers’ produce at high prices. Food imports are discouraged in these countries through various hygiene and food safety regulations. The goal is to protect their farmers and domestic food production.

In its implementation, the omnibus bill on job creation requires implementing regulations that absolutely guarantee food security and protection of domestic farmers and fishermen from imported products. The implementing regulations must also ensure that rent-seeking

activities will not plague imports, exports and agribusinesses that benefit only a handful of individuals. Food resilience begins with the welfare of farmers and fishermen.