ISNUpreneur Drives Jombang MSMEs to Scale Up, Appreciates Deputy Minister of Cooperatives and Discusses People's Economy
Strengthening micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) is a vital key to building a resilient people’s economy. This effort was driven by the Central Leadership of the Nahdlarul Ulama Scholars Association (PP ISNU) in collaboration with the Jombang PC ISNU through the ISNUpreneur activity, titled MSME Talkshow: ‘People’s Economy 2.0’, held at the Bung Tomo Hall, Jombang, on Sunday (30/8/2026).
The event brought together various stakeholders, including MSME entrepreneurs, mentors, local government, academics, and financing institutions. This forum served as a space to discuss the direction of national MSME policies, strategies for strengthening MSMEs in Jombang Regency, as well as financing schemes and digitalisation.
The main agenda featured a keynote speech themed ‘Red and White Village Cooperatives as the Pillar of People’s Economy 2.0’ delivered by Hj Farida Farichah. This discussion was a crucial part of examining the development of the people’s economy, not only from the perspective of individual businesses but also through the strengthening of community economic institutions at the village level.
“Through an integrated economic ecosystem approach from upstream to downstream, the KDKMP is projected as a shared business platform for village MSMEs. It is a system that requires the intellectual synergy of ISNU to strengthen financial literacy, packaging innovation, and digital marketing for local entrepreneurs,” she stated.
Following the keynote session, Deputy Minister Farida proceeded to visit an exhibition of MSME products mentored by ISNU. She expressed enthusiasm while interacting with business owners whose products were on display. “I am confident that these MSMEs can become major, leading products in the future. We must remain optimistic; with our assistance, we believe the scale of these MSMEs can grow larger,” she remarked.
The General Secretary of PP ISNU, Wardi Taufik, expressed his appreciation for the Deputy Minister’s presence. “Our highest appreciation for the enlightening keynote speech, which has significantly boosted the motivation of MSME players, particularly in Jombang,” said Wardi.
A significant milestone of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between PP ISNU and the Jombang Regency Government. This partnership represents a commitment to strengthening collaboration in developing regional potential, specifically regarding the empowerment of the community economy and MSMEs.
The programme continued with a talkshow covering three main themes. The first theme, ‘National MSME Policy Direction and Digitalisation within the Asta Cita Framework’, featured Prof. Mas’ud as a speaker. The second theme, ‘Portrait and Strategy for Strengthening MSMEs in Jombang Regency’, featured the Head of the Jombang Regency Cooperatives and SMEs Office. The third theme, ‘Financing Schemes, Digitalisation, and MSME Mentoring’, featured a speaker from Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI). All sessions were moderated by Dr Henny Dwijayani.
These themes demonstrated that MSME development requires a comprehensive approach. In addition to policy and capacity building, MSME players require access to financing, the use of digital technology, and continuous mentoring to ensure they not only survive but are able to scale up and adapt to rapid economic changes.
The ISNUpreneur series concluded with the symbolic handover of Halal certificates to recipients previously mentored by PC ISNU Jombang. This serves as an important marker for enhancing the competitiveness of MSME products, particularly in increasing consumer trust and opening wider market opportunities.
Through ISNUpreneur, PP ISNU positions MSME strengthening as part of its community economic empowerment agenda. Collaboration with local governments, the banking sector, academics, and other stakeholders is expected to create a stronger and more sustainable MSME ecosystem.