Peer Learning Events Support Local Governments in Indonesia to Accelerate Stunting Prevention

Program Year: 2022-2023

The Asia Foundation, in partnership with the International City/County Management Association, is implementing USAID ERAT (Effective, Efficient and Strong Governance) to support peer learning on stunting prevention among subnational governments in Indonesia.

Since June 2022, USAID ERAT has collaborated with local governments in South Sulawesi, North Sumatra and West Kalimantan to promote the sharing of experiences and innovations and support the development of action plans to accelerate stunting reduction programs.

Stunting refers to the impaired growth and development of children because of factors such as poor nutrition and repeated infections. In 2017, Indonesia launched a national strategy on stunting prevention, with aims to reduce stunting rates to less than 14% by 2024. The government has identified poor program coordination across administrative levels and failures to prioritize intervention as significant constraints to stunting reduction.

Peer learning workshop on stunting

The peer learning workshops were conducted in collaboration with key provincial government agencies, such as Regional Development Planning Boards (Bappeda), Regional Population and Family Planning Boards (BKKBD), and Health Departments. They were also attended by provincial government work units, representatives from district and village governments, civil society organizations and the private sector.

Given the important role of district-level innovation in reducing stunting, representatives from district governments who had advocated for stunting reduction were invited to share their experiences in delivering nutritional and healthy lifestyle interventions, promoting collaboration with village governments, and strengthening the human resources of government service delivery units. USAID ERAT facilitated district governments to reflect on these innovations and prepare plans for replicating best practices in their respective districts. Participants then formulated concrete steps for integrating action plans for accelerating stunting reduction into regional planning and budgeting.

The peer learning events also served as important platforms for strengthening coordination and communication between central government ministries and institutions, such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (KEMENPAN-RB), the National Team for the Acceleration of Stunting Reduction (TP2AK), and subnational governments.

USAID ERAT works with the Indonesian central and subnational governments in Banten, East Java, East Nusa Tenggara, North Sumatra, South Sulawesi and West Kalimantan to improve policy implementation and service delivery at the subnational level.

Related locations: Indonesia
Related programs: Good Governance

The Latest Across Asia

Spark creativity, joy, and a love of reading