Dear Readers,

Every 17 October, we observe the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. For SMERU, this day is a reminder of our core mission: to provide evidence so that policies truly serve the most vulnerable.

This year, we held a seminar that asked whether Indonesia’s method for calculating the national poverty line, in use since 1998, is still adequate. As living standards have risen, SMERU proposes shifting the benchmark from the minimum needed to survive to the minimum needed to live decently.

We discussed this proposal critically with Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the official statistics agency responsible for calculating poverty figures, and the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, which plans the country’s development. You can watch the full discussion in the seminar recording (available in Indonesian only).

On the topic of poverty, we also invite you to read our policy brief on how social protection has yet to address the climate vulnerabilities faced by dryland farmers, capture fishers, and seaweed farmers. There is also a blog post on why economic growth has not benefited everyone. Both publications are available in Indonesian only. Just as important, our 2014 study remains relevant today, highlighting the need to update beneficiary data regularly so that programs reach the right people.

If you plan to publish an article in a scientific journal, don’t miss the SMERU Learning Centre training on 21 November.

As always, we welcome your feedback at comms[at]smeru.or.id.

Widjajanti Isdijoso
Director, The SMERU Research Institute