REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, LAMPUNG -- Queen Maxima from the Netherlands has made a working visit to South Lampung, Lampung Province, as the UN Secretary-General's Special Advocate (UNSGSA) for inclusive finance for development. Queen Maxima, accompanied by a an entourage from the Dutch Embassy, arrived at Neglasari Village, Katibung Sub-district, South Lampung, Lampung, Monday, at 9.30 a.m local time.
Queen Maxima and her entourage visited the homes of local farmers, who received financial and value chain financial services. Before having talks with the farmers, the Dutch queen had a look at the cattle breeding methods used by Agus, a local farmer.
The Dutch queen asked two local farmers about the ways to increase harvests by improving deals related to the financial value chain services. In a question-answer session with the farmers, Queen Maxima, accompanied by the representatives of Vasham, Indonesia's social enterprise supporting the small farmers by providing them with loans, advised them to run a good business and negotiate a fair price.
She asked the farmers about the benefits of the loans, their businesses, and the problems they faced.
Agus said the loans had helped him support cattle breeding and other farming businesses. "I am thankful for the development of cattle breeding and other agriculture-related businesses, because if I borrow money from conventional banks, it will be very complicated, and they are far away from my village," he mentioned.
He admitted he did not have a bank account, so Vasham had helped him and other farmers with the financial services. For further disbursement of the funds, they only need to go to stores that sell daily necessities, such as Indomaret. "The stores are convenient and close to the village," he remarked.
He told Queen Maxima that he wanted to buy trucks to help him transport his harvest to the companies more easily. However, the vehicles are expensive, he stated.
During her visit from February 11 to 13, she will take a closer look at the progress of Indonesia's national strategy of financial inclusion. The national strategy has been implemented since 2016 to allow small farmers to get greater access to financial services, such as bank or saving accounts, loans, insurance and pension.
One of the purposes of this program is to ensure that 75 percent of adult residents have a saving account by the end of 2019.
According to the World Bank, having good access to financial services contributes to economic and community development, and poverty alleviation. Queen Maxima's last visit to Indonesia, in her capacity as the UN envoy, was in August 2016.
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