Liputan6.com, Jakarta The Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs (KemenkopUKM) held a synergy event themed 'Cerita Kriya' in Bali on Thursday (September 8, 2022).
In this event, Kemenkop UKM collaborated with the National Crafts Council (Dekranas) Funding Division and was supported by several partners, including the Revolving Fund Management Institution for Cooperatives, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (LPDB-KUMKM), the SME Marketing Service Agency (Smesco Indonesia), the Indonesian Strong Women Foundation (PTI), WhatsApp Indonesia, and Indonesian MSMEs.
The selection of Bali as the event's central location was a form of government support to help the island recover faster and rise stronger. As is well known, Bali, which relies heavily on the tourism sector, was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In fact, Bali’s tourism sector has significantly contributed to the national economy and has generated substantial foreign exchange revenue for the country.
Minister of Cooperatives and MSMEs, Teten Masduki, stated that the synergy event between KemenkopUKM and the Dekranas Funding Division on September 8, 2022, in Bali aimed to strengthen the ecosystem of Indonesian artisan MSMEs, making them more empowered and independent in line with the rise of the digital economy.
He further explained that this program serves as a gateway for cross-sector collaboration. This partnership provides opportunities for local artisan MSMEs to accelerate their potential and onboard into the digital world.
“When discussing financial literacy and the digital economy, it is crucial to utilize digital technology aspects in MSME and cooperative business processes. Indonesian artisan MSMEs will become more empowered and independent if they enter and go digital. Therefore, many digital innovators are needed,” said Teten.
The utilization of the digital economy is now a major focus in developing the business processes of Indonesian artisan MSMEs and cooperatives. Digitalization, driven by innovators, has proven to empower millions of MSME players, even amidst the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Digital onboarding is essential for Indonesian artisan MSMEs because it offers a solution to time-consuming banking procedures. Onboarding simplifies online marketing, making it easily accessible through a mobile device.
Strengthening the Craft Subsector Ecosystem
Minister of Cooperatives and MSMEs Teten Masduki and the Chairperson of Dekranas, Wury Ma’ruf Amin, also launched an MSME catalog, accessible at UKMJagoWAn.id, at the Art Bali Building, Bali Collection, Nusa Dua, on Thursday (September 8, 2022).
Chairperson of Dekranas, Wury Ma’ruf Amin, stated that this year's program, themed 'Cerita Kriya,' focuses on strengthening the craft subsector ecosystem from upstream to downstream. This includes production processes, financing, marketing, and institutional aspects such as cooperatives. Most importantly, she emphasized digital transformation for business owners.
“We are also engaging with our disabled friends who have contributed significantly to the craft sector, ensuring they continue to grow and find their market through the 'Cerita Kriya' programs,” she explained.
Wury revealed that in 2022, Dekranas, with support from KemenkopUKM, trained more than 500 government facilitators/trainers with a target of reaching over 900,000 MSMEs. “These trained MSMEs will eventually be able to export their products, just like the graduates of this program,” she added.
The collaboration between Dekranas and KemenkopUKM has been ongoing since 2019. However, in 2020, both parties decided to redesign the program to ensure sustainability with an ecosystem-strengthening approach for business owners.
“From 2020 to 2021, we focused on strengthening Indonesian textiles, in line with Dekranas' main objectives, under the initiative 'Cerita Wastra,'” she concluded.
Opportunities for 31 Million People with Disabilities
Minister of Cooperatives and MSMEs, Teten Masduki, at the Business Matching Event for Domestic Products and MSME Procurement 2022 in Nusa Dua, Bali. (Kemenkop Documentation)
Chairperson of the PTI Foundation, Myra Winarko, stated that the opportunities provided by KemenkopUKM and Dekranas could open doors for 31 million people with disabilities in Indonesia.
It is worth noting that PTI Foundation serves as a business incubator for people with disabilities. This is why KemenkopUKM and Dekranas partnered with PTI to support continuous efforts in Sustainable Development (Digital Economy to Support SDGs).
“God willing, we will take on the challenge set by the Minister regarding the digitalization ecosystem for people with disabilities, from upstream to downstream,” said Myra.
So far, PTI has been actively supporting various disability communities across Indonesia. This includes a community of individuals with mental retardation in Bandung, West Java, who produce salted eggs. Additionally, PTI provides training in makeup artistry for the hearing impaired, painting lessons, and cooking workshops.
Most PTI graduates are now independent, with some even securing jobs as professionals. As a business incubator, PTI also collaborates with major companies and banks to continue offering guidance and digital marketing support.
“In the future, we even plan to create our own platform, in addition to providing training programs to help people with disabilities enter the digital world independently,” Myra concluded.
