BI strengthens MSME market access by involving young generation
Bank Indonesia (BI) is strengthening market access for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by encouraging the involvement of the younger generation in developing local products, particularly culture-based sectors such as traditional textiles (wastra), crafts, and coffee.
Rosita Dewi, Director of the Inclusive Economic-Financial Group at DEIH BI, said one of the updates in Karya Kreatif Indonesia (KKI) 2026 is the introduction of Youth Island, an area specifically designed to bring young people together with the MSME ecosystem and expand young entrepreneurs’ participation in market access for MSME products.
“So that is one of our efforts to encourage young businesses, young entrepreneurs to be able to join this KKI,” Rosita said at KKI 2026 in Jakarta on Saturday.
She said Youth Island at KKI 2026 is also designed to change the younger generation’s perception of Indonesian wastra. BI wants to show that traditional products can be packaged in a modern way so that they remain attractive to the youth market.
“We want to invite young people to be proud to wear wastra. We want to show young people that by wearing Indonesian wastra we can still be cool, can still look good,” she said.
Efforts to expand the market are also being made by bringing together designers and wastra entrepreneurs. Designers are encouraged to use wastra products from MSME players in their fashion works, thereby creating business relationships while opening up new market opportunities.
According to Rosita, this pattern can provide market certainty for young wastra entrepreneurs. When their products are used by designers, business actors have the opportunity to increase production and develop their businesses.
In addition to wastra, BI is also encouraging the development of young talent in the coffee sector through the Cangkir Barista programme. The programme serves as a platform for finding internationally qualified baristas who are expected to help introduce the diversity of Indonesian coffee.
Indonesia has coffee with different characteristics from various regions. BI believes that improving the quality of baristas can create added value while opening up new entrepreneurial opportunities for the younger generation.
“If they want to start a business, they can already state that they are an internationally scaled barista. That means they have added value for themselves,” she said.
Meanwhile, through the Citra Nusa programme, BI is encouraging MSMEs to innovate while maintaining regional cultural identity.
Rosita considers innovation important so that MSME products remain relevant to market developments. However, innovation does not have to eliminate the standards and character that make local products unique.
Through this series of programmes, BI hopes that KKI will not only be an exhibition event for MSME products, but also a space that brings together young talent, business actors, designers, and the market, so that MSMEs have greater opportunities to grow and move up the value chain.