By definition, nature-based solutions (NbS) provide many environmental and social benefits for older people (e.g. greater food security). However, working in NbS is not without challenges.

Older people in Central Java engage in informal NbS jobs, which are often undervalued and voluntary, lacking job security, adequate remuneration and social protection despite their contribution to the environment.

NbS jobs are characterised by low occupational safety, because of poor infrastructure and physical demands of the work.

While many older people aspire to advance their skills and do jobs other than manual work, they do not have opportunities for skills development.

Ageism and age discrimination were found to be widespread, calling for an urgent need to address these issues within communities and to create initiatives empowering older people.

Social dialogue is often lacking in rural areas. Older farmers’ aspirations to change the conditions of sharecropping were found to be ignored.

Ecolabelling standards, while promoting sustainability, can limit income for older individuals, particularly in the trade of non-timber forest products.

Effective employment policies covering work in NbS in line with the current Indonesia’s Decent Work Country Programme must be designed and implemented to ensure that the rights of older people are respected.

This is the key message from the results of the SurveyMETER study with HelpAge International which was carried out from December 2023 to January 2024 in Purworejo Regency, which was packaged in the May 2024 Edition of the Policy Brief. The complete information can be downloaded here.