1. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
Agriculture, as our focus area, is the major source of livelihood in most countries in Southeast Asia including Indonesia. As an important source of export earnings and formal employment, this sector dominates the economy of these countries, contributing approximately 10 to 45 per cent GDP and employing 40 to 80 per cent of the workforce (FAO, 2007).[1] Most of the population derives its subsistence directly from small-scale agriculture, fishing and forestry. The majority of farming households are engaged in rice production.
Fast-rising globalization and liberalization processes are changing and deepening the risks already faced by rural poor and vulnerable people, particularly those involved in agriculture and other ecosystem-dependent livelihoods (Davies, Guenther et al. 2008). It becomes clear that an era of global competition has brought new forms of insecurity along with the exacerbation of inequality and the persistence of older vulnerabilities (Cook and Kabeer, 2010). A series of economic and political crises in East Asian countries, for example, have demonstrated the pitfalls of these processes and its consequences have entrenched poverty and social exclusion especially in this sector. In addition, reliance on subsistence agriculture means the impact of stress and shocks (from various threats) are
affected by the rural population, who depend directly on food production outcomes for their survival. This has profound implications for the security of their livelihoods and for their social welfare. The magnitude and frequency of stress and shocks fluctuate.
With global processes and deteriorating environmental conditions such as climate change, the combination of new and old forms of vulnerabilities and poverty pose a particular set of challenges for designing resilient measures and responsive social protection systems especially for the agricultural population (Cook, Kabeer et al. 2003). Such circumstances would create serious threats to the future development of these countries and long-term economic repercussions. Accordingly, our approaches to social protection system are essential to promote social safety net in order to bolster local resilience and reduce poverty incidence.
2. OBJECTIVES
The main objective of the research is to provide detailed understanding of social protection measures and issues for men and women working in agricultural sector in Indonesia.Specifically, the study aims to provide reliable and evidence-base to assist in designing and implementing a new resilient and responsive social protection scheme aiming at the most vulnerable agricultural populations.
The study will take a gendered approach to understanding risks and vulnerabilities as a basis to examine how social protection interventions can become more gender-sensitive. This is because women are more likely than men to be excluded from social protection strategies due to their disadvantaged position regarding work opportunities relative to men, and the increasing feminisation of informal labour markets (Sabates-Wheeler and Kabeer, 2003).
Given the short time frame required, the study aims to systematically present comprehensive desk analysis based on the secondary sources as followings:
* Defining social protection, risks and vulnerability for both men and women in the context of agriculture. This sets out concepts, approaches and contexts in respect of how social protection and agriculture relate to each other as social protection can be generated by and also is independent of agriculture.
* Examining the social protection programmes and interventions that exist in Indonesia, illustrating different approaches to social protection in small-scale agriculture;
* Analysing the achievements, gaps and challenges, existing policies, and the possible implications in meeting these challenges;
* Providing good practices of social protection schemes for small-scale agriculture
The research will provide a country report to support governments to introduce efficient support to prevent shocks and mitigate their impacts to the poor and vulnerable population in agriculture.
3. RESEARCH SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY
At the present stage of research, it is proposed that the researcher will undertake a desk study on the current situation of social protection in Indonesia. The researcher will review relevant literature collected from multiple secondary sources available at national and international levels. These include government reports and documents, legal and policies documents, international organisations’ database, previous research and studies related to the research contents. The suggested methods may include focus group discussions, individual interviews with key stakeholders and development of case studies, interviews with key regional level stake holders like UN agencies, ASEAN, and ADB.
To analyze the macro- and micro-policy linkage, the researcher may conduct in-depth interviews, which are set for a group of vulnerable rural people both men and women, and households in the agricultural sector to hear their voice and opinion on existing social protection and their direct and indirect experiences.
The main output of the research is a country report which provide comprehensive information and analysis regarding:
* Definition and conceptual framework of social protection as well as analysis of risks and vulnerability in the context of small-scale agriculture
* Case studies regarding existing programs of intervention on social protection, current policies and country’s specific issues to men and women in agriculture sector
* Discussing and analyzing policies, gaps, methodological challenges and recommendations
4. AUDIENCE AND USE OF REPORT
The purpose of the report is to inform policy debates on the social protection policy for small-scale agriculture. The research report will be shared widely with civil society organizations, donors, government agencies, academic institutes, media etc. Based on the research report, policy briefs will be produced for the easy reference for policy makers. A regional report will be developed to inform regional and global institutions.
Style and Content:
The report should be of 40-50 pages with an executive summary. The final report must have with endnotes references of all facts and statistics used. The report should also have a Bibliography of the major references used.
5. KEY ACTIVITIES AND TIME LINE
Given the very tight schedule for this research, our short-time work is scheduled as follows:
Key Activities Time line
Research starting June 2011
Literature collecting, reviewing and analysis July 2011 – August 2011
First draft report August 2011
Final report September 2011
6. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Competencies:
* Sound knowledge and practical application of research & survey tools
* Ability to apply to the theories and concepts related to social policy and agricultural development.
* Strong analytical capacity and the ability to identify, analyze and articulate difficult issues
* Strong research skills, including ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources, draw conclusions
* Speak and write clearly and effectively
* Identify and adjust priority activities and assignments with in a timeline
* Good teamwork to achieve project goals
Education: Advanced university degree in social study, economics, agricultural economics, statistics, demography or other relevant social sciences or a combination of related disciplines.
Work Experience:
* Several years of progressively responsible experience in applying statistical tools to address issues related to the economic and social dimensions of development.
* Experience in working on social protection systems in the past will be preferred.
* Experience in policy analysis, socio-economic research and research project implementation is also required.
* Experience in developing countries, preferably in Indonesia
[1] For example, approximately40 per cent of the workforce in Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand engage this sector. In Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam, rural population represents 70 to 80 per cent of the labour force.
Type: International Consultant
Location: Indonesia
Closing Date: 15 June 2011
How to Apply: Please send your expression of
interest including your CV, a proposal summary and budget/fee to Jakarta@oxfam.org.uk
Agriculture, as our focus area, is the major source of livelihood in most countries in Southeast Asia including Indonesia. As an important source of export earnings and formal employment, this sector dominates the economy of these countries, contributing approximately 10 to 45 per cent GDP and employing 40 to 80 per cent of the workforce (FAO, 2007).[1] Most of the population derives its subsistence directly from small-scale agriculture, fishing and forestry. The majority of farming households are engaged in rice production.
Fast-rising globalization and liberalization processes are changing and deepening the risks already faced by rural poor and vulnerable people, particularly those involved in agriculture and other ecosystem-dependent livelihoods (Davies, Guenther et al. 2008). It becomes clear that an era of global competition has brought new forms of insecurity along with the exacerbation of inequality and the persistence of older vulnerabilities (Cook and Kabeer, 2010). A series of economic and political crises in East Asian countries, for example, have demonstrated the pitfalls of these processes and its consequences have entrenched poverty and social exclusion especially in this sector. In addition, reliance on subsistence agriculture means the impact of stress and shocks (from various threats) are
affected by the rural population, who depend directly on food production outcomes for their survival. This has profound implications for the security of their livelihoods and for their social welfare. The magnitude and frequency of stress and shocks fluctuate.
With global processes and deteriorating environmental conditions such as climate change, the combination of new and old forms of vulnerabilities and poverty pose a particular set of challenges for designing resilient measures and responsive social protection systems especially for the agricultural population (Cook, Kabeer et al. 2003). Such circumstances would create serious threats to the future development of these countries and long-term economic repercussions. Accordingly, our approaches to social protection system are essential to promote social safety net in order to bolster local resilience and reduce poverty incidence.
2. OBJECTIVES
The main objective of the research is to provide detailed understanding of social protection measures and issues for men and women working in agricultural sector in Indonesia.Specifically, the study aims to provide reliable and evidence-base to assist in designing and implementing a new resilient and responsive social protection scheme aiming at the most vulnerable agricultural populations.
The study will take a gendered approach to understanding risks and vulnerabilities as a basis to examine how social protection interventions can become more gender-sensitive. This is because women are more likely than men to be excluded from social protection strategies due to their disadvantaged position regarding work opportunities relative to men, and the increasing feminisation of informal labour markets (Sabates-Wheeler and Kabeer, 2003).
Given the short time frame required, the study aims to systematically present comprehensive desk analysis based on the secondary sources as followings:
* Defining social protection, risks and vulnerability for both men and women in the context of agriculture. This sets out concepts, approaches and contexts in respect of how social protection and agriculture relate to each other as social protection can be generated by and also is independent of agriculture.
* Examining the social protection programmes and interventions that exist in Indonesia, illustrating different approaches to social protection in small-scale agriculture;
* Analysing the achievements, gaps and challenges, existing policies, and the possible implications in meeting these challenges;
* Providing good practices of social protection schemes for small-scale agriculture
The research will provide a country report to support governments to introduce efficient support to prevent shocks and mitigate their impacts to the poor and vulnerable population in agriculture.
3. RESEARCH SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY
At the present stage of research, it is proposed that the researcher will undertake a desk study on the current situation of social protection in Indonesia. The researcher will review relevant literature collected from multiple secondary sources available at national and international levels. These include government reports and documents, legal and policies documents, international organisations’ database, previous research and studies related to the research contents. The suggested methods may include focus group discussions, individual interviews with key stakeholders and development of case studies, interviews with key regional level stake holders like UN agencies, ASEAN, and ADB.
To analyze the macro- and micro-policy linkage, the researcher may conduct in-depth interviews, which are set for a group of vulnerable rural people both men and women, and households in the agricultural sector to hear their voice and opinion on existing social protection and their direct and indirect experiences.
The main output of the research is a country report which provide comprehensive information and analysis regarding:
* Definition and conceptual framework of social protection as well as analysis of risks and vulnerability in the context of small-scale agriculture
* Case studies regarding existing programs of intervention on social protection, current policies and country’s specific issues to men and women in agriculture sector
* Discussing and analyzing policies, gaps, methodological challenges and recommendations
4. AUDIENCE AND USE OF REPORT
The purpose of the report is to inform policy debates on the social protection policy for small-scale agriculture. The research report will be shared widely with civil society organizations, donors, government agencies, academic institutes, media etc. Based on the research report, policy briefs will be produced for the easy reference for policy makers. A regional report will be developed to inform regional and global institutions.
Style and Content:
The report should be of 40-50 pages with an executive summary. The final report must have with endnotes references of all facts and statistics used. The report should also have a Bibliography of the major references used.
5. KEY ACTIVITIES AND TIME LINE
Given the very tight schedule for this research, our short-time work is scheduled as follows:
Key Activities Time line
Research starting June 2011
Literature collecting, reviewing and analysis July 2011 – August 2011
First draft report August 2011
Final report September 2011
6. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Competencies:
* Sound knowledge and practical application of research & survey tools
* Ability to apply to the theories and concepts related to social policy and agricultural development.
* Strong analytical capacity and the ability to identify, analyze and articulate difficult issues
* Strong research skills, including ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources, draw conclusions
* Speak and write clearly and effectively
* Identify and adjust priority activities and assignments with in a timeline
* Good teamwork to achieve project goals
Education: Advanced university degree in social study, economics, agricultural economics, statistics, demography or other relevant social sciences or a combination of related disciplines.
Work Experience:
* Several years of progressively responsible experience in applying statistical tools to address issues related to the economic and social dimensions of development.
* Experience in working on social protection systems in the past will be preferred.
* Experience in policy analysis, socio-economic research and research project implementation is also required.
* Experience in developing countries, preferably in Indonesia
[1] For example, approximately40 per cent of the workforce in Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand engage this sector. In Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam, rural population represents 70 to 80 per cent of the labour force.
Type: International Consultant
Location: Indonesia
Closing Date: 15 June 2011
How to Apply: Please send your expression of
interest including your CV, a proposal summary and budget/fee to Jakarta@oxfam.org.uk
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