"Small- and medium-scale enterprises have absorbed up to 10.5 million workers, or some 65 percent of the total (workers) in the industry sector," Wibawaningsih pointed out.Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Industry Ministry has highlighted the importance of technology application for small- and medium-scale enterprises (SME) to boost productivity and quality while increasing access to the global market.
"The SMEs have played a pivotal role as a backbone for the national economy," the ministry's Director General of Small, Medium, and Various Industries Gati Wibawaningsih noted in a statement here on Monday.
According to Wibawaningsih, the ministry had recorded over 4.4 million SMEs, or some 99 percent of the total business units in Indonesia.
"Small- and medium-scale enterprises have absorbed up to 10.5 million workers, or some 65 percent of the total (workers) in the industry sector," Wibawaningsih pointed out.
The ministry has applied several policies and events to boost the potential of SMEs in the era of digital economy, including the event of e-Smart SME 2019 in some regions.
"In August, we have held the event in Palembang (South Sumatra), with 500 participants from various regions in South Sumatra," Wibawaningsih noted.
Similar events were already organized in Semarang, Makassar, Surabaya, Pontianak, Bogor, and Denpasar. In future, it will be held in Medan and Banjarmasin.
As of 2018, the number of SMEs in South Sumatra had reached 65,682 and absorbed a total 216,824 workers.
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Translator: Sri Haryati
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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