Yogyakarta, 21 June 2010
The success of small snackfood producers in Terong village, Bantul district, could be replicated as a model to boost sales and livelihood sustainability in Java, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Yogyakarta.
IOM is urging the public to support the recovery of the earthquake-affected snackfood businesses in Terong by shopping at a new store that opened this week in the village, in Yogyakarta Province. The store was launched in a special ceremony with district and provincial government representatives, plus representatives from the Women's Empowerment Organization (PKK), in attendance.
The new store sells snackfoods made by micro- and small businesses (MSE) supported by the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Livelihoods Recovery Project. Funded by the multi-donor Java Reconstruction Fund (JRF), the project is currently working with 3,075 MSE in Yogyakarta and Central Java provinces to recover their businesses after the devastating earthquake of 27 May, 2006. Administered by the World Bank, the JRF is a multi-donor fund supported by European Commission, the governments of the Netherlands, Great Britain, Canada, Finland and Denmark, and the Asian Development Bank.
One hundred MSE in Terong, of which 70 per cent are women, have developed their own successful brand of snackfood - called NIKIMON, an abbreviation of the Javanese expression niki mawon or just pick this product. NIKIMON offers a diverse range of products, including banana crisps, cassava and a variety of peanuts snacks. The brand is growing in popularity, as it now delivers regular orders to popular food stalls in Yogyakarta. Following capacity-building trainings delivered under the IOM-JRF project, the MSE have taken the lead in forming their own promotion team to expand market access and ensure business sustainability. Other MSE supported by the IOM-JRF Livelihoods Recovery Project, including batik, agel and silver craft sectors, are following Terong's lead in establishing active promotions teams.
According to JRF Manager, Shamima Khan: "The success of NIKIMON highlights how the IOM-JRF Livelihoods Project has empowered women in Terong to expand their income-generating activities and, therefore, secure their livelihoods." These improvements are achieved through replacement of vital production assets lost or damaged in the earthquake, capacity-building training sessions in business management skills and technical skills, plus the improvement of their access to markets.
Head of Terong Village, Sudirman Alfian, said the Village Promotion Team's initiatives, such as the opening of a new store, would be a boost for economic security and livelihoods sustainability in Terong. "Group strengthening and community empowering helps them to take their own decisions regarding their business activity and helps them to solve the problem by themselves," he said.
IOM Yogyakarta Project Manager Johan Grundberg said IOM hoped to multiply the success of NIKIMON by working closely with local administrations and district authorities in targeted areas during the extension phase of the Livelihoods Recovery Project until June 2011. "There is still room for local producers to have similar initiatives and to follow the success of Nikimon since this model is proven to boost sales and ensure business sustainability" he said.
Mr Grundberg said that the Terong's snackfood producers have shown how the IOM-JRF Livelihoods Recovery Project's first phase, focusing on post-earthquake socio-economic recovery, has empowered women and had a sustainable impact. The project's extension phase would also focus on access to finance for MSE, government capacity-building and community-based disaster risk management.
For more information contact:
Diana Setiawati
Capacity Building & Media Coordinator
Mobile : +62813 8456 6338
Email : dsetiawati@iom.int