Collaborating With PBNU, Trade Minister Zulhas Encourages MSME Santri To Advance Class

Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan collaborated with the General Chairperson of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board Yahya Cholil Staquf (Photo: Doc of the Ministry of Trade)

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan collaborated with the General Chairperson of the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Executive Board, Yahya Cholil Staquf.

The work was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Trade and PBNU.

The signing was carried out at the Meliá Purosani Hotel, Yogyakarta on Wednesday, August 10, 2022.

The memorandum of understanding is related to the synergy of developing and empowering the people's economy through micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“This MoU is a synergy to develop and empower the people's economy. One of them, so that MSME students take classes," said Zulkifli Hasan in a written statement quoted on Thursday, August 11.

Zulhas, who is familiarly called Zulkifli Hasan, said that MSMEs are the backbone of the economy that need to be supported from various lines in order to advance to class in order to strengthen the Indonesian economy.

In 2021, said Zulhas, MSMEs will contribute dominantly to Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP) and absorb most of the workforce.

"In supporting the progress of MSMEs, the Ministry of Trade has various facilities in the form of coaching, training and mentoring programs to increase human resource capacity, business capacity, and market access for MSMEs," he said.

To advance MSMEs, Zulhas continued, the Ministry of Trade has several strategies.

First, to support the acceleration of digitalization by targeting a thousand markets and one million MSME traders including food stalls throughout Indonesia.

Second, provide business space and/or promotional space for marketing domestic products, at least 30 percent of the shopping center area.

"Third, support the target of the Proudly Made in Indonesia National Movement (Gernas BBI) program so that many MSMEs join the digital platform," he said.

As an effort to encourage MSMEs to advance to class, continued Zulhas, the Ministry of Trade also facilitates MSME players through various programs, namely, technical guidance on product development and design, training, and assistance to become export SMEs.

"Acceleration of market access through various promotional activities at home and abroad, both online at market workshops and offline; as well as trade facilities assistance in the form of repairing grocery stalls and pesantren marts," he said.