The Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment Support Services (YESS) program is a collaborative project between the Ministry of Agriculture through the Indonesian Agency of Agriculture Extension and Human Resource Training (BPPSDMP) with International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) which focuses towards youths and agriculture sector.
The YESS program aims to create opportunities for rural youth to earn a living in the agricultural sector through the agriculture-based employment or/and business. Thus, they are expected to actively contribute to sustainable rural transformation and also directly ensure the regeneration of farmer. In this effort, the YESS Program will identify the needs of
youth, utilize technology, modernize agricultural practices and create incentives for youth to participate in the agricultural sector. The achievement of the YESS objectives will be measured using the following key indicators: (i) 32,500 youth find employment in the agriculture-based sector; (ii) 33,800 YESS-supported young farmers/rural entrepreneurs reported increase in profit/income; (iii) 50,600 young women and men find jobs in new established businesses and small medium enterprises supported by the program; (v) an additional 100,000 rural youth accessing financial services, of which 4,300 young migrant households; and (vi) an additional 120,000 youth will receive financial education at the community level.
Currently the YESS Program is located in 15 districts spread over 4 provinces: West Java (Sukabumi, Cianjur, Subang and Tasikmalaya), East Java (Malang, Pasuruan, Tulungagung, Pacitan), South Kalimantan (Banjar, Tanah Laut and Tanah Bumbu), and South Sulawesi (Bantaeng, Bone, Bulukumba, and Maros). Through the limited geographical area of the 15 districts mentioned above, the YESS Program will undertake a pilot approach with the aim of developing a model for scaling up. The program will include resources to support project replication into new geographic areas.