Ministry Of Industry Pacu Downstreaming Kakao And Seaweed, Open Significant Jobs

Head of the Industrial Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDMI) of the Ministry of Industry Masrokhan. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Industry)

JAKARTA - The government through the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) continues to spur the downstream of the cocoa and seaweed industry with the support of qualified human resources (HR) through the Industrial Education and Training Center (BDI) in Makassar which routinely organizes 3 in 1 training and training activities for cocoa and seaweed products.

"Seeing that South Sulawesi has become a strategic industrial area, the Ministry of Industry has optimized that human resources in its vicinity can utilize their natural wealth to strengthen the local to national economic sector," said the Head of the Industrial Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDMI) of the Ministry of Industry Masrokhan in a written statement, quoted Wednesday, September 27.

The cocoa and seaweed industry continues to be driven downstream because it is supported by Indonesia to become the third largest cocoa producer in the world, with a total production of 739,483 tons.

Meanwhile, the export value of national processed cocoa products in 2020 has reached 1.12 billion US dollars, an increase compared to the previous year which only reached 1.01 billion US dollars.

The development of the downstream cocoa processing industry itself is directed to produce cocoa powder, chocolate fat, chocolate food and drinks, cocoa-based functional supplements and foods, as well as the development of marine chocolate. Several Indonesian artist chocolates have even begun to enter the aircraft chocolate stage.

Craft chocolate is made by a chocolate maker that will control starting from the selection of raw materials, production, to final products. The improvement in the competence of this artist's brown resources (HR) is also enhanced by the Ministry of Industry by involving chocolate makers and artist chocolate experts.

The processing of cocoa is a business for national IKM players who are developing and are now able to move on the processing of cocoa beans into chocolate.

Meanwhile, the seaweed industry itself is a commodity that has many derivative products, so it can be developed to increase added value. Currently, Indonesia is the second largest seaweed producer in the world.

In addition, Indonesia is the sixth karagenan exporter country in the world, and an exporting country for the seventh in the global arena. The destination countries for exporting grass processed products from Indonesia include China, the United States, and South Korea.

In 2023, the Ministry of Industry targets as many as 26,050 people to take part in training, competency certification and placement or through Training 3 in 1, to increase productivity and competitiveness in industrial downstreaming.

"The implementation of Training 3 in 1 certainly answers the current challenges of the industry. Through the training provided, we will prepare human resources who are able to answer the dynamic market challenges," said Masrokhan.

He said that the participants of Diklat 3 in 1 were not only workers who were already skilled in the industry, but also those who wanted to re-develop their parents' businesses or just started a business that came from productive age.

"The productive age participants who take part in education and training in Training 3 in 1 are expected to be able to have a mental entrepreneur. So, after further assistance is carried out, it is prepared to have legality of business permits and have standardization of processed products that have been made and are able to create jobs," he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said that downstreaming has a positive impact on the national economy, in addition to increasing added value, it is also able to suppress imported products.

"The development of the disbursement industry has also seen the results, namely Indonesian manufacturing products that have been included in the global supply chain. Downstream has created a number of positive impacts on the Indonesian economy, including opening up job opportunities significantly," he added.