Bali: The Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs (Kemenkop UKM) collaborated with the National Handicraft Council (Dekranas) Funding Division to empower Indonesian craft MSMEs and enhance their independence in line with the growing digital economy.
Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs, Teten Masduki, stated that this synergy initiative serves as a gateway for cross-sector collaboration. The partnership also provides opportunities for local craft MSMEs to accelerate their potential and transition to digital platforms.
"When discussing financial literacy and the digital economy, it is essential to fully utilize digital technology in MSME and cooperative business processes. Indonesian craft MSMEs will become stronger and more independent by going digital. Therefore, more digital innovators are needed,” Teten said in a press release on Thursday, September 8, 2022.
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According to Teten, leveraging the digital economy is now a priority for developing craft MSMEs and cooperatives. Digitalization, driven by innovators, has already empowered millions of MSMEs, making them more resilient despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Digital onboarding is crucial for Indonesian craft MSMEs. This is because digital onboarding provides a solution to time-consuming banking procedures. It also simplifies online marketing, allowing businesses to operate directly from their mobile devices,” he explained.
The Chairwoman of Dekranas, Wury Ma’ruf Amin, stated that this year’s program theme, 'Cerita Kriya,' focuses on strengthening the craft sub-sector ecosystem from upstream to downstream. This includes production, financing, marketing, and institutional support such as cooperatives. Most importantly, she emphasized the need for digital transformation among entrepreneurs.
"We are also collaborating with our friends with disabilities, who have made significant contributions to the craft sector, to help them grow and find their market through the 'Cerita Kriya' programs,” she explained.
Wury further mentioned that in 2022, with support from Kemenkop UKM, Dekranas has trained more than 500 government facilitators/trainers, targeting over 900,000 MSMEs. "These MSMEs are then trained to eventually export their products, as seen with graduates from this program,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Chairwoman of the Indonesian Strong Women Foundation (PTI), Myra Winarko, stated that the opportunities provided by Kemenkop UKM and Dekranas could open doors for 31 million people with disabilities in Indonesia.
"God willing, we will take on the Minister’s challenge to establish a digital ecosystem for people with disabilities from upstream to downstream. Moving forward, we plan to create our own platform, in addition to providing training programs that enable people with disabilities to enter the digital world independently,” Myra concluded.
Source: medcom.id
