Researcher: Economic census is the foundation for evidence-based policy

Jakarta (ANTARA) - GREAT Institute economic researcher Trisha Devita has stated that the economic census is a crucial foundation for evidence-based policy making, as it provides a comprehensive picture of business activity development, structural economic changes, employment patterns, and more.

“The Economic Census is not just about counting the number of businesses or companies. This data helps the state understand how economic activities develop, how jobs are created, how people’s work patterns change, and which regions need greater development support,” Trisha said in Jakarta on Friday.

She added that economic activity is no longer limited to factories, offices, or conventional markets, but has also grown through home-based businesses, social media commerce, independent work, and various technology-based services. Therefore, all economic activities, including micro-enterprises, family businesses, and the informal economy, must be recorded to receive attention in development planning.

Trisha urged the public, business actors, and various stakeholders to actively participate in the 2026 Economic Census, which will be conducted by Statistics Indonesia (BPS) from 1 May to 31 July 2026. She stressed that without accurate data, policies risk being built on assumptions.

Based on the results of the 2016 Economic Census, BPS recorded 26.7 million non-agricultural businesses and companies in Indonesia, an increase from 22.7 million recorded in the 2006 Economic Census.