Ministry Of Industry Encourages IKM For Herbal Drinks In Southeast Sulawesi To Literacy Digitally Literacy

In order to encourage the development of small and medium industries (IKM), the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) continues to carry out empowerment programs and increase the competitiveness of IKM through the growth of New Entrepreneurs (WUB). One of them is by boosting the competitiveness of the perpetrators of IKM for herbal drinks.

The Directorate General of Small, Medium and Multifarious Industries (Directorate General of IKMA of the Ministry of Industry has held a seminar to increase digital literacy for entrepreneurs of herbal beverage IKM in Konawe, Southeast Sulawesi, involving around 140 entrepreneurs of herbal drinks in the area.

The Director General of IKMA at the Ministry of Industry, Reni Yanita, said that the increase in entrepreneurial competence through digital literacy was in line with the digitalization and application of Industry 4.0 program initiated by the government since 2018.

"We continue to encourage and assist IKM in transforming the digital economy, including in terms of utilizing digital assets, e-commerce, as well as technology in supporting the IKM business, starting from the process of obtaining raw materials, production to marketing," said Reni in a written statement, Friday, June 16.

Reni said that knowledge about the transformation of technology and digital media is very important for the WUB of the herbal beverage industry. This industry is included in the food industry group which is one of the high demand industrial sectors.

"Through the application of appropriate digital literacy, IKM operators of herbal drinks can directly utilize technology effectively and efficiently, such as delivering fast and precise product information, as well as an unlimited market," he said.

The Director General of IKMA of the Ministry of Industry added, to continue to increase the number of WUBs, the government is drafting policies and planning for industrial development that are right on target.

According to Reni, IKM is the driving force for the national economy with a total of 4.4 million business units. The contribution of the IKM output value reached 21.17 percent of the overall processing industry.

"Indonesia needs to continue to foster enthusiasm and an entrepreneurial ecosystem to increase employment opportunities. This can come from any sector, even during the pandemic, entrepreneurs and herbal drink IKMs grew, which gained the sweet trend of healthy living," he said.

In addition to the herbal beverage industry, the Directorate General of IKMA of the Ministry of Industry also held a seminar on the growth of new entrepreneurial IKM for two-wheeled workshops in Konawe Regency. This activity was attended by 140 entrepreneurs of two-wheeled economy IKM. The materials provided are about business management and insight into business licensing and capital.

Meanwhile, Director of IKM Metal, Machinery, Electronics and Transportation Equipment of the Directorate General of IKMA Dini Hanggandari said that IKM entrepreneurs also need to have an entrepreneurial mentality by mastering various technical, managerial, and creativity and innovation competencies.

"We need to provide WUB IKM for two-wheeled workshops with knowledge in terms of licensing industrial businesses, entrepreneurship, to financing banks through KUR for IKM so that they can become qualified entrepreneurs. By becoming entrepreneurs, of course, they play a very important role in helping the government boost the regional and national economy," added Dini.

For your information, the Ministry of Industry targets 12 thousand WUBs to grow throughout 2023 or higher than the previous year's achievement of three thousand WUBs. Therefore, the Ministry of Industry continues to run empowerment programs and increase the competitiveness of IKM through the growth of New Entrepreneurs (WUB).