“Development must start at the local level. If it begins from villages, the results will be much stronger. Indonesia is too vast to rely solely on major cities,” Umar said in a statement issued on Thursday.
She underlined the need for each region to identify three key areas of local strength: human resources, cultural identity, and natural assets to guide more targeted and impactful creative economic development.
Umar said mapping local assets could help regions establish economic growth engines aligned with the national Asta Cita Ekraf (Eight-Point Creative Economy Agenda) priority program, which aims to build local self-reliance.
“Food self-sufficiency doesn’t have to begin at the national level. It starts from the smallest units — from homes, villages, and cities — before growing into a national strength. Our country is immensely rich, but too often, we fail to appreciate our own wealth,” she said.
She also highlighted the role of “story-nomics,” or narrative-based economics, as a way for Indonesian creative products to gain global recognition while fostering appreciation for local identity and the environment.
Umar commended the Kampus Bambu Komodo initiative organized by the Bambu Lingkungan Lestari Foundation (YBLL) in Labuan Bajo, describing it as a model for collaboration and innovation across sectors.
She noted the role of women as key drivers of household and community economies and praised local innovations such as bamboo bicycles as symbols of creativity and cooperation.
“This event is not just about bamboo products but about trust and collaboration. We must listen directly to the people—without understanding problems on the ground, solutions will never emerge. Let’s stay open, collaborate, and move forward together,” she stated.
The initiative, she added, reflects the creative economy sector’s concrete contribution to strengthening Indonesia’s national creative ecosystem, in line with the Asta Cita Ekraf spirit of creating quality jobs, empowering local economies, and promoting self-reliance based on local potential.
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Translator: Fitra, Aria Ananda
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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