UNAIR NEWS – Demographic bonus is a condition where the population in the range of productive age, from 15 to 64 years old, is more than the number of unproductive population. The explosion of the productive age population is then prepared so that it would not become a burden on the state.
Covid-19 pandemic has shocked the community. On webinar conducted by IKA FKM UNAIR and Persakmi on Monday, June 1, 2020, Dr. Lutfi Agus Salim, S.KM., M.Si as population expert at FKM UNAIR stated that the pandemic was a challenge because it could affect the decades of struggle to achieve the demographic bonus.
“If a large population is not well managed, it will be a burden on the country,” said Lutfi who is also the Head of Biostatistics and Population Department.
Lutfi continued, there are several conditions to be able to reap the benefits of the demographic bonus: the young population must have productive employment and can save. Household savings can be invested to create productive employment.
Then, there is an investment to increase human capital in order to take advantage of future opportunities. Also, creating an environment that allows women to enter the labor market.
“During this pandemic, many productive people returned to the village. Hopefully, they can build a village instead of returning to the city, “Lutfi continued.
Demographic bonus challenges
There are at least three challenges faced to be able to reap the benefits of demographic bonuses in the current pandemic period. The first challenge is an epidemiological transition and a demographic transition.
Demographic transition occurs because of the migration process so it changes the structure of young and old population in some areas. Meanwhile, the epidemiological transition is a shift in causes of death from disease.
Before the pandemic happened, Indonesia had experienced a transition of causes of death from infectious diseases to degenerative diseases. The current pandemic has again shifted to infectious and degenerative diseases.
“In the future, infectious and degenerative diseases will become a burden for our nation,” Lutfi explained.
The second challenge is the changing type of work. Before the pandemic occurred, the world had experienced the industrial revolution 4.0 and with this pandemic, the use of technology became a demand and a need in society which then affected the type of works in community.
The third challenge is the migration from cities to villages. Migration is a challenge because usually, people who have lived in cities experience lifestyle changes and when returning to the village there could be a sense of pride.
“Those who return to their villages and lose their jobs must forget the prestige and start looking for or creating jobs in the village,” he explained.
They are expected to build villages so Indonesia can benefit from demographic bonuses. There are three things that need to be considered for picking a demographic bonus in the village, human resources of productive age, rural potential, and social system institutions.
Pay attention to the productive age
Human resources in productive age must be considered. Moreover, the migration of urban people to the villages is expected to be a transfer of technology to the village to support community activities in the villages. Then it is also necessary to improve skills and maintain public health to increase community productivity.
Rural potential must also be maximized by innovation of superior village products. The intensification of agriculture and non-agriculture in the villages also needs to be improved.
“Finally, the development of social system must be committed to building villages and providing assistance,” he said. (*)
Author: Galuh Mega Kurnia
Editor : Binti Q. Masruroh
