Traditional Herbal Transformation Towards Global Standard Herbal Industry

JAKARTA - Indonesia has an extraordinary legacy in the form of herbs, traditional ingredients that have been used for generations as natural medicine.

Indonesia's abundant biological wealth, with thousands of native medicinal plants, has made this country one of the centers of the largest herbal potential in the world.

In the midst of a global trend towards a healthy and natural lifestyle, herbal medicine is not only seen as a tradition, but also a great opportunity in the development of a sustainable health and beauty industry. Collaboration between culture and science is the key to making herbal medicine a modern product that remains rooted in local values.

Dr. Sofa Fajriah, Head of the BRIN Center for Drug and Traditional Medicine Research, emphasized that the development of modern herbal medicines must be driven by synergies between scientific research and the rich culture of the archipelago. According to him, herbal medicine is not just a traditional medicine, but also a representation of local wisdom that must continue to be developed innovatively.

"Kosme is an example of how research and culture can go hand in hand, creating modern products but still full of traditional values," said Sofa as quoted by ANTARA.

Various innovations that have emerged in this sector include ready-to-eat herbal medicine, a combination of herbal medicine with superfood, as well as integration with probiotics and active cosmetic ingredients in body care products. Not only that, herbal medicine is now present in a more attractive and closer form to the younger generation, such as herbal spardlings, herbal BOBa, to herbal Gummy.

Based on research from the CMI Team, the traditional medicine industry in Indonesia is predicted to grow rapidly with a CAGR rate of 7.1 percent from 2024 to 2033. The market value is even projected to reach 25.4 billion US dollars at the end of that period.

Changes in consumer preferences are also increasingly real. About 56 percent of the younger generation admitted that they are interested in consuming herbal medicine when packaged practically. On the other hand, the WHO report shows that 70 percent of the global population now prefers herbal and natural products, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

With more than 30,000 plant species, of which around 7,500 have treatment benefits, Indonesia occupies an important position as a center for world herbal development. This is a great opportunity to place herbal medicine as a leading national product worldwide.

Shandy Purnamasari, founder of Kosme Health, said that herbal medicine must be represented in a more modern form and accepted by a new generation. "We want herbal medicine to be present in a more enjoyable format, without reducing its efficacy," he said.

Kosme Health also provides support to MSME players by opening maklon services, namely services for making herbal products efficiently with high quality standards.

Chairman of the Indonesian Herbal Medicine Association, Jony Yuwono, welcomed this initiative. He emphasized that herbal medicine is not just a product, but part of a philosophy of life that reflects the unity between medicine, prayer, and local culture.

According to him, this creative approach can strengthen the collaboration between business actors in the herbal sector. Dr. Sofa added that research has a vital role in exploring and maximizing the potential for natural wealth.

"We hope that there will be more innovations in this field, so that Indonesia will not only become a market, but also a major player in international quality herbal production," he said.

The government also shows concrete support through research funding, grants for MSMEs, to export facilitation, in order to encourage the competitiveness of the herbal and national herbal industries in the global arena.