Stakeholder Collaboration: Driving SDG Goals in Indonesia

As the world navigates complex challenges, achieving sustainable development has become an imperative shared by nations across the globe. Indonesia is a dynamic and diverse nation striving to make significant strides toward the United Nations’ SDG Goals. 

In this article, we will explore the potential of collaborative partnerships to reshape the fabric of sustainable development, which warrants exploration and holds the promise of transformative impact.

Indonesia’s commitment to SDGs

Indonesia is committed to localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from the national to the village levels. To ensure SDGs implementation to the smallest community unity, the government aims to mainstream Village SDGs as the policy direction for rural development until 2030.

The government has provided a tremendous amount of village funds to all villages in Indonesia, with IDR 70 trillion (USD 4.68 billion) only for 2023’s fiscal year. The government also promotes Village SDGs through publications and capacity-building for village administrators.

Other activities to promote village SDGs include the Village Fund Transfer Program (BLT Dana Desa), which supports the SDG goals of poverty-free, hunger-free, and healthy and prosperous villages.

Moreover, other supporting activities include:

• Empowering Village-Owned Enterprises.
• Infrastructure development.
• Cash-for-work programs in villages.
• Smart villages.
• Strengthening appropriate technology in villages.
• Development of village tourism.

The extent to which SDGs are applied in villages can be seen in how Indonesia’s sustainable development indicators are improving. For instance, across the whole country, almost all households (99.45%) have electricity. While in the SDG-focused village of Sumur Agung, East Java, every single home has electricity (100%).

Read more: Indonesia’s Path Towards Sustainable Development Goals

The importance of stakeholder collaboration in SDG implementation

Since the surge of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia, the country has witnessed better collaborative efforts from stakeholders, including government officials, private sectors, and NGOs, to promote economic and public health recovery.

For example, the Jakarta government established collaborations spanning various sectors by partnering with hospitals and laboratories for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.

Simultaneously, the city administration introduced a digital platform to streamline food donations within local neighborhoods. Moreover, donors and digital finance firms supported small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).

This successful approach was adopted across most provinces and cities throughout Indonesia.

Similarly, the local government employed a cultural strategy in Bali, engaging influential individuals and community leaders to promote public adherence to COVID-19 health guidelines and significant social restrictions.

This method effectively reduced the count of daily infections within the local area.

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SDGs implementation across the country

The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) appreciated the Indonesian government’s collaborative effort in the transition and implementation of SDGs across the country. The result of BPK’s audit showed that the government had enhanced the design of SDG policies and the structure of institutions to harmonize with the national development blueprint.

This accomplishment has been achieved through the issuance of regulations governing the execution of SDGs at both the national and regional levels. These measures ensure consistent and synchronized development throughout the entire country.

The challenges and solutions

The Indonesian government needs some help related to stakeholder collaboration for SDGs, these include:

1. Lack of data

The need for more essential data for the decision-making process has become one of the challenges for SDG implementation in Indonesia. Hence, the government believes strategic, global, and multi-stakeholder collaboration is necessary to ensure data availability.

2. Vast land area

With its extensive land area and population spread across the archipelago, Indonesia faces the challenge of ensuring comprehensive coverage. Adequate financial backing is a crucial component of this effort, whether sourced from local government channels or external means. 

Creative funding mechanisms like green and SDG bonds can serve a key role in bridging the financial gap. Indonesia is actively exploring innovative avenues, such as sukuk, as a form of Sharia-compliant financing, which has the potential for global utilization.

3. Food security

A significant issue gaining prominence in Indonesia is the challenge of insufficient food security, a global concern. To address the situation, the government has implemented essential measures to alleviate this barrier.

These steps encompass enhancing food availability by establishing centers for food production, refining the national logistics system to narrow price disparities, and fortifying collaborations between farmers, fishermen, and contemporary retail enterprises to streamline supply chains.

Furthermore, the nation is augmenting its output of key domestic crops through a multifaceted approach.

It includes expanding cultivated land, intensifying the utilization of existing land, and establishing ecosystems that can replace traditional staple foods. These solutions are poised to ensure that nutritious food is accessible across various population segments.

Conclusion

The Indonesian government is committed to achieving SDGs throughout the country, emphasizing collaboration. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, improved stakeholder cooperation has emerged, potentially setting a precedent for SDG attainment across all levels. 

Businesses can contribute by adopting ESG practices aligning with SDGs through sustainable operations and offerings. For those who embrace ESG practices, InCorp Indonesia provides ESG advisory and business license services, ensuring harmony between your products and services and the ESG approach.