MSME Ministry: Kumitra Programme Connects Micro Enterprises with Strategic Partners

Pelaksana Tugas Deputi Usaha Mikro Kementerian Usaha Mikro Kecil dan Menengah (Kemen UMKM) Riza Damanik stated that the Kumitra (Ease of Micro Business for Partnership) programme is a concrete step by the government to bring micro, small, and medium enterprises closer to strategic partners. “Kumitra is an agenda at the Ministry of MSMEs as a follow-up to the direction of the Minister and Deputy Minister, so that our micro-enterprises become closer to their strategic partners,” Riza Damanik said after the launch of Kumitra in Yogyakarta on Friday evening. Beyond strategic partners, he said the programme also connects MSMEs with their buyers, so that micro, small, and medium enterprises in Indonesia no longer have to search for buyers on their own. “So from the start, we bring them together, we design it so that these micro and small enterprises can obtain sustainable strategic partners,” he added. He said that from a series of meetings with these MSME strategic partners, the government has secured commitments from partners to contract and cooperate with micro-enterprises worth IDR 7 billion. “I heard last week the figure was around IDR 7 billion, so there is already a commitment to cooperate with micro-enterprises. Hopefully, this can grow and continue in the days to come,” he said. To maximise the Kumitra programme, he said the Ministry of MSMEs also provides access for MSMEs and partners to digital payment services via QRIS, as well as digital marketing through e-commerce platforms. “There is joint training with several e-commerce platforms to ensure our MSMEs, our micro-enterprises, not only onboard onto e-commerce platforms but also gain maximum profit so they can be more productive,” he said. Deputy Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) KGPAA Paku Alam X said the Kumitra event in Yogyakarta brought together around a thousand micro-entrepreneurs, assisted by integrated business service centres, and Teras Malioporo I business actors with various strategic partners. “Business meetings, strengthening digital access, business partnership commitments, and the waiving of product listing fees on retail networks of members of the Indonesian Retail Association are concrete steps to bring micro-enterprises to a wider market,” he said.