Indonesia has almost left behind the era when the dependency ratio was at its lowest point so the government, stakeholders, and the community need to prepare themselves more.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The decline in the total fertility rate (TFR) has brought down the dependency ratio, a measure of the dependency of the non-productive age population on the productive population, the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) said.

"The decline in TFR caused the dependency ratio between those who work and those who do not work and are consumptive to continue to decline. In 2020, it (dependency ratio) stood at 44.33," BKKBN head Hasto Wardoyo informed here on Thursday.

He made the statement at the National Working Meeting on the Bangga Kencana Program and Stunting Reduction Acceleration in 2024, which was held by the BKKBN.

Wardoyo also said that the reduction in the birth rate per one thousand women in certain groups or the age-specific fertility rate (ASFR) in the 15–19 year age bracket also needs to be accorded attention.

"From year to year, it has declined. When one thousand women were asked whether they were pregnant or gave birth at that age, currently only around 20 people answered (yes)," he informed.

He also stressed that slowly, Indonesia has almost left behind the era when the dependency ratio was at its lowest point so the government, stakeholders, and the community need to prepare themselves more.

"We are slowly leaving the window of opportunity and the demographic dividend; it's just that one province is not the same as another. This is slightly earlier than the 2015 projection, which is thought to peak in 2030," he said.

He explained that several areas have entered the demographic dividend stage, while some entered the stage earlier and are currently in the demographic dividend stage. Therefore, it is deemed essential to pay attention to the gap.

At Thursday's meeting, a stunting inspection program was launched to achieve the target of reducing stunting prevalence to 14 percent by 2024.

"We will carry out selections, guide, and take action. The family assistant teams in the field will be ready to assist families that are at risk of stunting," the BKKBN head said.

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Translator: Lintang Budiyanti, Raka Adji
Editor: Arie Novarina
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