TOBACCO : Indonesia Experience

Deni Wahyudi KurniawanIndonesian Institute for Social Developmentdeni.wk@iisd.or.id | www.iisd.or.id

FarmersControl&

Content

Tobacco Facts in Indonesia Tobacco Farming Issue Initiative and Latest Research on

Tobacco Farming Conclusion and Recommendation Priority research at the country level

Tobacco Facts in Indonesia

Current Tobacco Laws

have not ratified the FCTC yetHealth Act 36/2009, Govt.

Regulation 109/2012, PDRD 2012, Excise Act, Broadcasting Act, covers almost all MPOWER

packages

> 70 million smokers

36% Prevalence (67% Men, 4,5% women) > 200 thousands

deaths

360 billion sticks / year245,5 Trillion rupiah loss

✓✓ ✓ ✓✓✓

Tobacco Farming Issue

Initiatives on Tobacco Farmers

Research Tobacco Farmers Livelihood (2012), Perception on Trade System (2014), Opinion to Tobacco Farming and TC (2015)

Assistance Assist Tobacco Farmers in Shifting Crops in Magelang

Publication Tobacco Farmers in Indonesia; a Paradox of Life

- Indonesia : top 5 tobacco producer- Always used as bumper ; ITGA,

APTI, etc- 7 times judicial review in

Constitutional Court

Latest Research 2015 from MTCC

Title : Current and ex-tobacco farmers’ opinion on tobacco farming and tobacco control in Indonesia

in June and July 2015 3 provinces : East Java, Central Java,

and West Nusa Tenggara Five major tobacco farming – Jember, Magelang, Temanggung, Central Lombok and East Lombok

Cross-sectional questionnaire to 500 farmers (309 current tobacco farmers and 191 ex-tobacco farmers).

Family

tradit

ional

farming

Profita

ble

Follow

neigh

bors

Self w

illing

ness

Tobacc

o indu

stry l

obby

only t

obacc

o can

grow in

my land

Don’t k

now/No r

espon

se

36.90%

16.80%

6.80% 6.80%2.90% 2.30%

27.50%

Findings : Tobacco is not profitable

• Only 16,8% said that tobacco is profitable• 86,4 % have other type or crops and • 28% willing to shift to other crops• 51% do not encourage family/children to tobacco

farming

Current Farmers

Factors that influence to keep doing tobacco farming?

Finding : Factor Harmful to Farmers

29.8%20.0%

2.3% 0.3%

47.6%• Factors harmful to tobacco

farming: weather, TI monopoly and lack of government regulation

• Only 0.3 % said tobacco control harmful to tobacco farming

45.0%

13.1% 11.5% 11.6%2.0%

14.7%

Ex-Tobacco FarmersFactors influenced stopping tobacco farming

Current Farmers

• Main factors influence to stop : TI monopoly

• Other factors : not profitable, weather, family, health

Finding : Shifting is a solution

775,000

2,500,000

Median monthly income

Current tobacco farmers

Ex-tobacco farmers

64.60%85.30%

35.40%14.70%

Does your monthly income cover basic needs (foods, drinks, cloths,

children’s school fees)?

YesNo

• Average farmers income is increasing after shifting to other profitable crops

• More ex-tobacco farmers could cover their basic needs than tobacco farmers

• 99% ex-tobacco farmers are happy doing non-tobacco farming

Finding: Support to TC

Current tobacco farmers

Ex-tobacco farmers All17.2% 20.4% 18.4%

32.4%51.8% 39.8%

12.9%11.0%

12.2%14.6%11.0%

13.2%23.0% 5.8% 16.4%

Support to strong tobacco control regu-lation

Strongly support Support Somewhat supportNot support Don't know

62.5%83.2% 70.4%

• Farmers understanding on the harmful of tobacco is high, 70,4% of them do not want to see their children smoking

• 56.9% among Smoking Farmers (n: 274) is willing to quit smoking

Conclusion and RecommendationConclusion Tobacco farming is not profitable due to unfair trade

system, harmful to public health and unpredictable weather.

Shifting to other crop is a proven good solution to advance tobacco farmers livelihood.

Tobacco Farmers is supporting Tobacco Control Measures.

Recommendation Government should assist farmers to shift to other crops

and tightly regulate tobacco trade system and distribution. Tobacco Control does not harm tobacco farmers then it

should not be used against its measurement. Indonesia should tighten Tobacco control policy including

accede the WHO-FCTC and increase the compliance to the existing regulation.

Priority research for 2016 at the country level Strengthening Tobacco Economy

Evidence; Cost Benefit Analysis of FCTC accession FCTC Accession and Unemployment

Strengthening evidence on crop diversification and tobacco non-cigarette products.

Thank you