IPB University Professor Explains Participatory Social Engineering to Overcome Poverty in Indonesia
Prof Lala Kolopaking, Professor of Rural Sociology at IPB University, explained participatory social engineering as an effort to overcome poverty in Indonesia.
According to him, poverty alleviation efforts are a social movement that does not originate solely from the government or solely from the community, but rather from all parties involved.
“Since it is a social movement, this poverty alleviation effort requires social engineering, or what is commonly referred to as social engineering,” explained Prof Lala at The 53rd IPB Strategic Talks event some time ago.
“Our task is to shape this social engineering into a participatory process so that community awareness can grow,” he added.
Furthermore, the concept of participatory social engineering requires at least three main conditions. First, a management process is needed that includes planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs to address social issues. This process must involve community participation in efforts to improve well-being and quality of life.
“Second, the community is not a passive object but becomes the subject of the social change process. Third, we need an approach that fosters community awareness and strengthens their capacity to address issues,” explained Prof Lala.
On the other hand, Prof Hermanto Siregar, Professor of Macroeconomics at IPB University, explained the importance of synergy between fiscal and monetary policies in supporting an inclusive economy.
“Policies that favor low-income communities, such as subsidies, social spending, progressive taxation, and investment in education, need to be combined with monetary policies that keep inflation low, interest rates stable, and the exchange rate stable,” he explained.
Prof Hermanto said that the synergy between the two plays an important role in creating equitable economic growth and strengthening the purchasing power of the poor.
He also outlined that the global recession poses a serious threat to poverty reduction in Indonesia, particularly through pressure on exports, rising unemployment, and increases in the prices of basic commodities. Therefore, targeted fiscal stimulus and social protection programs are key to mitigating the impact of the crisis. (*/Rz) (IAAS/NRA)
