Background and challenges to implementation: Indonesia is the third amongst the countries with the
highest smoker's population and first rank for male smoker globally. Tobacco
Farmer livelihood and welfare are issues that used by tobacco industry to
encounter tobacco control in Indonesia. The average income of tobacco farmers
are less than 1 million in a month. FCTC ratification in Indonesia always been
questioned by government for its relation to tobacco farmer's welfare. Government
and parliament member still believe that tobacco control will give impact to
tobacco farmer's livelihood. Therefore, in 2016 Parliament member proposed to
draft bill on tobacco that opposing the existed tobacco control policy.
Our policy advocacy program that supported by The Union
focus on advocacy government and parliament members for FCTC accession through
providing data and information about the correlation of tobacco farmers welfare with
tobacco control. This policy target about 261 million of Indonesian people . While the case studies for tobacco farmer welfare was taken in
Central Java (Yogya and Temanggung) and East Java (Jember ,
Bondowoso).
Intervention or response:- Case
studies at Central Java and East Java through interview, survey and video
documenter
- Developed
policy document to show the fact that tobacco farmer's welfare
-
Direct
advocacy meeting with related stakeholders
-
Media
advocacy in providing the witnesses of tobacco farmer.
Results and lessons learnt:·
Policy
document has been delivered to president secretariat office and parliament
member.
·
Media and
public awareness was important to reduce misleading information on tobacco
farming.
·
Tobacco
industry interference and lobbying is very strong especially in the parliament.
Conclusions and key recommendations:·
The Fact
that tobacco Farmers, who had diversification into other crops such as coffee, rice, are more prosperous.
·
The fact
that tobacco control does not give impact to the farmer's welfare.
·
FCTC ratification
is opportunity for tobacco farmer to improve their welfare. The government
should support alternative for the farmer.