Minister urges villages to utilise digitalisation to promote local products

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Minister for Villages and Underdeveloped Regions (Mendes PDT), Yandri Susanto, has urged villages to make maximum use of digitalisation to promote local products and reach markets, both national and international. “I often say that digitalisation is important. For example, through social media. So, people from outside the region can know, even people from abroad can know if our products or works are interesting,” said Minister Yandri during an audience with the Regent of Tanggamus, Lampung, Moh. Saleh Asnawi, at his residence in West Jakarta on Wednesday. According to Minister Yandri, creative digital content will automatically increase trust and brand recognition, even for small-scale businesses. The Minister from South Bengkulu also reminded that synergy between the central and local governments is crucial to accelerate the realisation of strategic projects, meet infrastructure needs, and achieve regional economic targets to the maximum. “I have also heard his speeches on social media several times, TikTok. His vision and mission are good, and I think regents like this need to be supported, and building facilities and infrastructure is important, but the most important is marketing,” said the former Deputy Chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR RI). Specifically, Minister Yandri also asked the Regent of Tanggamus to start preparing and identifying accurate data on potentials in each village, covering agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors. This, he said, will help the central government, including facilitating the formulation of targeted and sustainable development policies and regulations. “Perhaps, the Regent has data on which are thematic villages, tourism villages, horticulture villages. In our programme, there is also the export village BUMDes programme. Perhaps, from that data, we can prioritise which villages to assist,” he said.