21, 600 Indigenous Communities Require Technology to Sustain Livelihood

IRRIGATION - Farmers at the village of Bulo-Bulo, New Regency, South Sulawesi require suitable technology to irrigate river water flowing on the hillside to their rice fields in high areas. Photo Mering

contributor: @alexndermering

JAKARTA - More than twenty-one thousand local indigenous communities in 13 provinces in Indonesia require technology to sustain their livelihood.

This was revealed at the Program Peduli - Partnership for Governance Reform (Kemitraan) coordination meeting, attended by community social organisation and local governments at Swiss Belhotel, Jakarta, Thursday (6/8).

“Basic needs is a major issue, especially water and energy,” said Program Manager of Program Peduli - Kemitraan, Ade Siti Barokah, adding that there are 21,600 targeted beneficiaries of Program Peduli in twenty-one districts in Indonesia.

According to a 2014 census by the Ministry of Social Affairs, this is just a fraction of the total number of indigenous communities in the country. The total amounts to 130,031 families spread over 2,019 locations, 1,758 villages, 801 sub-districts, 207 regencies and 24 provinces including in North Kalimantan.

Program Peduli - Kemitraan focuses on social inclusion for marginalised indigenous and local communities that are dependent on natural resources.

“Although Program Peduli aims towards equal treatment and opportunities for citizens, lack of basic needs among the indigenous communities must also be resolved,” said Ade.

The National Coordination Meeting invited Henki Sutanto, from the Alumni Association Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (IKAL - BPPT) to address issues faced by indigenous people when using technology.

Meanwhile, Director General of Social Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation Ministry of Social Affairs represented by Laode Taufik said indigenous communities without proper identification cards would get further help.

“The government has to collect data on remote indigenous communities in order to obtain the Population Identification Number (VIN) so that they can obtain the basic needs provided by the government. The minister has directed social services to look into this,” said Taufik.