Digital platform provides growth opportunities for Indonesia’s MSMEs

Zulkifli Hasan, Indonesia’s Trade Minister, had called on local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) to develop and grow their businesses on digital platforms. “Without the growth of MSMEs, it will be hard to become a developed country,” he said, reported Antara. 

Even though a global recession is expected next year, the minister hopes that Indonesia’s digital economy will continue to improve and allow the country to expand into new markets such as Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, 

With 20.5 million MSMEs currently part of the digital ecosystem, the government is aiming to bring this number to at least 30 million by 2024. To support the digital ecosystem, Indonesia also needs nine million digital talents over the next 15 years, according to Rudy Salahuddin, Deputy Minister, Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs.

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As it takes time to nurture talent, both short-term and long-term strategies are needed to develop and cultivate these skills in the younger generation, he said. Short-term measures include rolling out training programmes for existing workers, while probable long-term approaches include changing the education curriculum to nurture and discover digital talents earlier, the minister explained.