Teten Calls Agriculture the Key to Inclusive Business Transformation

Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs (Menkop UKM) Teten Masduki. Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI

BALI - The Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs (Menkop UKM) Teten Masduki said the agricultural sector is one of the key players in the transformation towards inclusive business.

"By adopting inclusive business principles, we have the opportunity to develop the agricultural sector, empower small farmers, cooperatives and SMEs as key players in the transformation towards inclusive business," said Minister Teten at the Regional Investment Forum for Inclusive Business in Agriculture and Food. Systems in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Wednesday, August 23.

Minister Teten said agriculture is one of the largest sectors and plays an important role in Southeast Asia, in which this sector provides employment and life opportunities for millions of people, especially in rural areas.

However, as ASEAN develops, so do the challenges faced by the agricultural sector.

"To answer this challenge, sustainable and inclusive business practices are increasingly important to ensure food security, protect the environment, and improve the welfare of rural communities," said Teten.

In addition, continued Teten, it is necessary to use technology and digitization to empower SMEs and cooperatives in the agricultural sector, as well as improve monitoring and reporting towards achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs).

"Access to information and data-based decision making plays an important role in achieving our goals efficiently and effectively," he said.

With this forum, Teten hopes that the participants can be actively involved in discussions, exchange knowledge, and explore innovative approaches related to inclusive agricultural business and food systems.

Then, it is hoped that all participants will be able to take advantage of the diverse experiences and expertise of the panelists to create concrete solutions and establish collaborations that will have a long-term impact on society.

"To all participants, I hope this forum can be useful and inspire us all. Together, let us build the future of agriculture and food systems to be the basis of inclusive prosperity for our region," he concluded.