Microfinance has become a powerful tool in the fight to eradicate poverty, micro banking reaches people in remote areas, people who do not qualify for traditional bank loans and those who do not have bank accounts. In addition, the profits that banks now receive are high enough to make it a sustainable industry. The archipelago of Indonesia is essentially one of the world’s ‘microfinance laboratories’.

‘The International Microfinance Conference 2012’ hosted by the Indonesian Ministry of Cooperatives and Bank BRI started Monday October 22^nd and through Tuesday October 23^rd in the historic city of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The conference will discuss innovations in microfinance and will highlight the important themes of ‘Microfinance Sustainability and Financial Inclusion’, ‘Strategic Issues on The Needs of Innovation for The Microfinance Industry’ and ‘The Future Direction of Microfinance’.

The programme was as follows:

Introduction:  “Strategic Issues on the Needs of Innovation for Microfinance Industry”                 

Panelists :

1. David Steel (Leapfrog Investment, Australia): “Safety Nets and Springboards for all Indonesians”

2. DR. DSK Rao (Asia Pacific Regional Microcredit Summit Coordinator): “Integration Of Health Education And Microfinance”

3. Dr. Herqutanto MPh (University of Indonesia): ” Microfinance in Health, Does It Work?”

4. James Whitker (USAID) :”How USAID Provides Loan Guarantees to Facilitate Lending to Microfinance Institutions and Micro-entrepreneurs”

5. Dr. Ruben C. De Lara ( Founder, President & CEO of SHED, Philippines): “Empowering the Poor Out of Poverty a Shared Responsibility  Across All Sectors of Society”

Chairman : DR. Shafiq Dhanani (President Director & Founder MBK Ventura, Indonesia )

09.45-10.00         Coffee Break

10:00 -11.00        Preparation for Opening Ceremony ( All Participants stay on Plenary Hall)

A. Opening Ceremony :                                

11.00 – 11.05       National Anthem : Indonesia Raya

11.05 – 11.10       Cultural Perfomance

11.10 – 11.20       Welcome Speech by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, Governor of Yogyakarta

11.20- 11.30        Welcome Speech by State Minister for Coorperatives and SMEs, DR. Syarief Hasan  continuing by Kredit Usaha Rakyat Program    (short film)

11.30 – 12.00       Keynote Speech and Opening of the Conference by DR. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono  (President of the R.I.)

12.05 -12.45        Break – Lunch

12.45 – 13.15       Keynote Speech :

Prof. Muhammad Yunus (Founder Grameen Bank) : “Microfinance As a Social Business: A Way to Solve Society’s Most Pressing Problems.”                           

13.15 – 15:15

PLENARY I :The Relevance of Financial Inclusion and Sustainability: Innovation Issue                                             

Panelists:

1. Dr. Larry Reed ( Director of Global Microcredit Summit Campaign) : “What Needs to be Included in Financial Inclusion?”

2. Dr. Jay K. Rosengard  ( Director of Financial Program of Harvard University): “The Role of Government in Facilitating or Inhibiting Innovation in Microfinance”

3. Dr.Halim Alamsyah ( Bank of Indonesia)

4. Sulaiman Arief Arianto ( Bank Rakyat Indonesia):” Reaching Out the Economically active Poors; Indonesia Experience)

5. Marguerite S. Robinson ( Boulder Institute of Microfinance, SMEs Consultant, Chili): ” Trends and Future Directions in the Microfinance Industry”

6. Prof. Tom Gibson ( Principal of SME Think): “Gazelle Finance: Investing in Fast-Growing, High-Impact SMEs”

Chairman : DR. HS. Dillon ( Special Envoy to the President of Indonesia for Poverty Alleviation)

15.00 – 15.15   Coffee Break

15:15- 17:15

PLENARY II : Trend and Future Direction : The Rise of Syariah Base Microfinance                                      

Panelist :

1. Dr. F. Markus Kaiser (Senior Advisor Allianz Microfinance Indonesia): “Bancassurance for Microfinance Institutions:

Opportunities and challenges for commercial insurers”

2. Mayada El-Zoghbi ( Senior Microfinance Specialist, World Bank): “Current Trends in Islamic Microfinance”

3. Muhamad Zubair (Chief Executive Officer – Al Huda Centre ) : “”Islamic Microfinance: An effective Tool for Poverty Alleviation and Social Development””

4. Masyhudi Muqorobin (University of Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta):”In Search for an Islamic Model for Microfinance Services”

Chairman : DR. Romeo Rissal Pandjialam (Bank Indonesia)

17.15 – 18.00       Preparation all participants for Closing and  Evening Dinner at Ballroom Sheraton Hotel

18.00 – 18.30       Depart to the Sultan Palace

18.30 – 19.00       Preparation for Closing and  Evening Dinner at Sultan Palace

19.00 – 21.00       Closing and Evening Dinner at Sultan Palace

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23rd, 2012  Field Visit and Tour

07.00  – 16.30      Field Visit to BRI, Touring  to Borobudur Temple and heading  to Danone at Klaten

Update: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday opened a two-day International Microfinance Conference 2012 at the Sheraton Mustika Hotel in Yogyakarta.

The conference, on the theme “Towards Sustainability and Financial Inclusion,” gathers 420 participants from 23 countries. 

“This conference is for sharing of information, ideas and knowledge that can push innovation in microfinance,” said Syarifuddin Hasan, Indonesia’s minister for cooperatives and small and medium-sized enterprises.

According to data from state-controlled lender Bank Rakyat Indonesia, more than 70,000 microfinance institutions have been helping micro-businesses, which provide jobs to millions of people and stimulate domestic spending. 

However, growing the microfinance sector in Indonesia has never been easy.

Obstacles include inadequate outreach to potential customers in remote areas in the archipelago. 

Other problems include inadequate opportunities for the poorer segments of the population to access financial services. 

Meanwhile, many microfinance institutions in the country are not efficient in their operations and have not been fully integrated into the financial system.