Coordinating Ministry for Community Empowerment: UMKM, the backbone of family economies, need market access

Jakarta (ANTARA) — The Coordinating Ministry for Community Empowerment (Kemenko PM) says micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM) play an important role as a buffer for family economies and should be strengthened through market access and space for small business actors. Minister Muhaimin Iskandar in Jakarta on Friday stated that UMKM actors, especially those run by housewives and family-based businesses, have proven able to withstand various economic conditions. Therefore, the government is pursuing efforts to strengthen UMKM through various initiatives, including by opening business spaces in government-owned public facilities. ‘We urge all government-owned public facilities to open up access as widely as possible to UMKM, especially housewives-run businesses,’ he said. He noted that UMKM actors require support not only in capital but also broader marketing access so that their products can reach consumers directly. One of the efforts is through the activity ‘Jejak Jajanan Nusantara’ which carries the concept of a market themed ‘1001 Nights’ as a promotional space for UMKM products. The Festival Jejak Jajanan Nusantara will be held on 6-8 March 2026 at the South-West Parking area of Gelora Bung Karno complex, Senayan, Jakarta. Involving more than 40 curated UMKM stalls, it will present a variety of Nusantara snacks reflecting culinary wealth, crafts, and business coaching or workshops. Muhaimin assured that the government is working to present new economic spaces that can be utilized by small businesses to broaden their market reach through the event. ‘Similar activities are expected to be held in various regions across Indonesia, from Sumatra and Java to Eastern Indonesia such as Papua, so more UMKM actors will benefit,’ he said.