Read carefully Statistics
Often a negative response or a sense of community expressed disbelief when reading economic reports announced by the government. For example, a number of observers who reject the agricultural sector growth data reported by the government, the Central Bureau of Statistics, growth above 5 percent.
The reason they reject that figure because many see the reality of rural poverty. So where might they suggest the agricultural sector grew by it. Against this, the Head of Public Relations and Legal Bureau of the Central Bureau of Statistics, M Sairi Hasbullah, give advice, to understand what the meaning behind the economic growth figures, such as the growth rate of agriculture sector, it requires caution and vigilance.
"The increase in economic growth rate at a certain time is not necessarily directly related to the level of public welfare," explains journalist Sairi in the workshop organized by the BPS, in Jakarta, Saturday (26/11/2011). According to him, the public needs to see how the structure of economic growth that occurred.
It should be understood that economic growth, such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), an accumulation of value-added of each sector of the economy. And, the rate of growth of each sector was contributed by the added value of production factors (inputs), namely labor and capital. Thus the rate of economic growth, ie GDP, generated by a number of calculation stages. Thus, when receiving a statistical data need to be described again in accordance with the formula to find out more clearly.
So, bright Sairi, agricultural sector growth rate is not necessarily going to directly impact on poverty reduction. "Relations between the two variables (growth rate of agriculture sector and poverty reduction) will depend on where the sources of growth that happens," he added.
If the growth is value-added generated by the accumulation of large farmers who have land alone, would have less effect on the level of welfare of farmers undercoat. Therefore, he explained, consumers need to see further data on farmers layers where growth occurred.
"That's why sometimes show economic growth, but poverty and unemployment remained relatively even increase," he said. Therefore, Sairi suggest caution in interpreting the statistics.
