Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar said on Friday that MSME operators, particularly housewives and family-run businesses, had proven resilient during various economic shocks.
To support the sector, the government is encouraging the use of public facilities owned by the state to host MSME businesses and promotional activities.
“We encourage all government-owned public facilities to provide broader access for MSMEs, especially businesses run by housewives,” Muhaimin said.
He said small businesses require not only financing support but also wider access to markets so their products can reach consumers more directly.
One initiative aimed at promoting MSME products is the “Jejak Jajanan Nusantara” food bazaar festival, which adopts a “1001 Nights” themed market concept to showcase traditional Indonesian snacks and small business products.
The festival will take place from March 6–8 at the Selatan Barat parking area of the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex in Senayan, Jakarta. More than 40 curated MSME stalls are expected to participate, offering a variety of traditional foods, crafts and business development workshops.
Muhaimin said the government is working to create new economic spaces for small businesses through events that help them expand their customer base and strengthen brand visibility.
“Similar events are expected to be held in various regions across Indonesia, from Sumatra and Java to eastern areas such as Papua, so that more MSME actors can benefit,” he said.
Meanwhile, MSMEs Minister Maman Abdurrahman previously said the main challenge facing Indonesia’s MSME sector is no longer the number of businesses but improving product quality to increase competitiveness.
“We need MSMEs that can innovate and compete in regional and global markets,” he said, stressing the importance of upgrading product standards, branding and marketing capacity.
The government views MSMEs as a cornerstone of Indonesia’s economy, employing millions of workers and helping sustain household incomes across the country.
Related news: Village cooperatives to support street vendors, MSMEs: Minister
Related news: Indonesia develops Sapa UMKM super app to support 57 million MSMEs
Translator: Prasetyo, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2026
