Hence, we will recover faster and rise stronger than ever beforeBanjarbaru, South Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has urged pesantrens (Islamic boarding schools) to assume the role of off-takers or integrators in people's economic development through the empowerment of a pesantren-based economy.
"Pesantrens must become the off-taker or integrator to ensure the OPOP (One Pesantren One Product) program can continue to produce their best products, particularly in efforts to prosper the Earth to fulfil the people's responsibility," Amin said while opening the 2022 South Kalimantan One Pesantren One Product (OPOP) Expo here on Thursday.
The role of an off-taker involves integrating all sectors relevant to the production, purchase, and sale of products to ensure the process continues to run, he explained.
The Vice President also expressed the hope that pesantrens can become a bridge between business actors and the market to bolster the sustainable economic empowerment of people.
"I ask pesantrens to be the bridge of agriculture products that will be processed as semi-finished (products) to the downstream process, then sell (the products) to the domestic and international markets," Amin said.
The exploitation of all available and unused lands and resources is consistent with God Almighty's instruction to humans to utilize all resources on Earth for a good purpose, as well as the message of the 77th anniversary of Indonesia's independence this year, he highlighted.
"Hence, we will recover faster and rise stronger than ever before. God Willing, we can surpass our challenges if all parties, including pesantrens, play their role and ensure that pesantrens can be independent and do not be a burden others," he added.
Amin also expressed the hope that the South Kalimantan OPOP Expo would serve as an inspiration for the development of the OPOP program in other regions to bolster people's self-sufficiency and prosperity.
"We hope this program will create economic self-sufficiency in pesantrens and benefit the people," he remarked.
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Translator: Firman, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
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