"The discontinuation of this program would be detrimental. Owing to the program, we have successfully assisted thousands of family heads," Village PDTT Minister Abdul Halim Iskandar said during a meeting with IFAD's Asia-Pacific director, Reehana Rifat Raza, in Jakarta on Thursday.
According to a statement released by his office, Iskandar noted that the Village Assistance program has resulted in improvements in food and nutritional resilience as well as the incomes of rural residents.
The program aims to provide guidance and assistance to villagers living in the eastern provinces of Maluku, North Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, Papua, Southwest Papua, West Papua, Central Papua, Papua Pegunungan, and South Papua.
"A discontinuation would spark questions and lead to many negative impacts. It might even erode people's trust in the programs we have devised," he said.
The cooperation between the ministry and IFAD began in 2019 and was meant to conclude at the end of this year, following the end of President Joko Widodo's presidential tenure.
However, Iskandar assured that the power transition will not disrupt the implementation of the Village Assistance program which has proven to be beneficial to a plethora of people in eastern Indonesia.
"We can guarantee that this IFAD-backed program will continue despite the impending transition of government, as we highly recommend this program. Hence, whoever replaces me in office should continue it," he added.
Director Raza, on her part, seconded Minister Iskandar's opinion, while emphasizing the need to field more capable mentors and perfect the concept to continue the implementation of the assistance program.
She said that Indonesia and IFAD are on the same page about the need to sustain the program to prepare people for climate change, the growth of the global population, and fluctuating food and energy prices.
Translator: Tri M, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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