Menkop Teten: Kemenkop Priority Program To Target MSME Actors Who Support A Green Economy

Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs Teten Masduki. (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs Teten Masduki is committed to encouraging Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to run their business while still paying attention to environmental sustainability.

"Currently, green economy practices are the Kemenkop's transformative recovery agenda. In the future 70 percent of the priority programs of the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs will directly target MSME actors, cooperatives, young people and women, and focus on supporting environmentally friendly development. Learn from other countries that are moving fast towards a green economy by setting pro-environment policies with ambitious targets," said Teten in the webinar "Green Economy Indonesia Summit 2022: The Future Economy of Indonesia" which was monitored in Jakarta, Thursday 12 May.

He detailed, the number of MSMEs currently recorded is 65 million or equivalent to 99.9 percent of the population of business actors in Indonesia and absorbs 97 percent of the workforce and contributes 61.7 percent to Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP).

"Of course, business actors with this number need to pay attention to environmental aspects," added Teten.

Teten also revealed, based on research conducted by the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs in October 2021, it was found that from more than 3,000 MSME actors, almost 95 percent showed interest and support for environmentally friendly business practices.

The research also shows that MSMEs managed by women tend to be more supportive of environmentally friendly and inclusive practices than MSMEs owned by men.

Meanwhile, data from the SMERU research institute in 2021 revealed that 73 percent of young Indonesians are interested in entrepreneurship, and 81 percent of young people are interested in running an environmentally friendly business.

"That way I am optimistic that Indonesia can adapt to the green economy trend. Moreover, the G20 forum will provide opportunities for the development of a green economy and environmentally friendly SMEs," he continued.

At the G20 Presidency, said Teten, the Kemenkop UKM will collaborate by conducting joint program initiatives with stakeholders in the development of green MSMEs with investor matchmaking outputs, green MSME catalogs, showcasing, exhibitions, webinars as well as policy studies and business assistance training.

"I invite the central and local governments, the academic community, SOEs and the private sector to collaborate in developing green, inclusive and sustainable MSMEs," concluded Teten.