The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) is actively working with the National Crafts Council (Dekranas) to encourage the development of Indonesia's craft and wastra industries so they become more competitive. The development of the craft and wastra industries in the country has been shaped not only by historical and local cultural values, continually highlighted through the appeal of products with high selling value, but also by design development and product diversification that meet market needs and tastes.
“Our journey in building the competitiveness of Indonesian crafts and wastra has shown many encouraging results. However, the challenges we face are still very large, especially in today's era of globalization and digitalization,” the First Deputy Executive Chair of Dekranas, Loemongga Kartasasmita, said in her online remarks at the Kick Off Road to the 45th Anniversary of Dekranas in Jakarta on Tuesday (11/3).
Loemongga said the synergy between Kemenperin and Dekranas is an important step in beginning the journey toward Dekranas's 45th anniversary celebration, while strengthening the competitiveness of Indonesian crafts and wastra nationally and internationally. “We are committed to continuing to guide and support craft and wastra small and medium industry (SMI) players in Indonesia to build their capacity so they can improve product quality and conquer local and global markets,” she said.
Kemenperin and Dekranas are therefore collaborating again to hold SMI development activities to celebrate Dekranas's 45th anniversary. The series began with the webinar “Design for Changing Product Function and Export Markets”.
The webinar involved academics and designers, with the aim of providing information and knowledge to boost SMI players' enthusiasm for improving product quality so they can expand the market reach of their products.
“This Kemenperin–Dekranas collaboration is a very important annual agenda in efforts to strengthen the national crafts industry ecosystem. As Dekranas's Ex Officio member for competitiveness, Kemenperin, through the Directorate General of IKMA, plays a strategic role in supporting the development of this sector so it becomes increasingly competitive in both domestic and global markets,” Loemongga explained.
Loemongga also said that achieving better competitiveness requires innovation that combines the beauty and cultural richness of Indonesia with creativity and modern technology. “This certainly cannot be achieved without the support of all elements of society, businesses and the government, which consistently support the development of the craft and wastra industries in the country,” she added.
Loemongga is optimistic that, with a spirit of mutual cooperation (gotong royong) and the dedication of all parties, Dekranas's vision of making Indonesian crafts and wastra increasingly global and highly valued can be realized. “Let us make Dekranas's 45th anniversary a moment to keep moving forward and innovating,” she said.
The Director General of Small, Medium and Miscellaneous Industries (IKMA), who also serves as Secretary General of Dekranas, Reni Yanita, explained that the series of activities to be held on the road to Dekranas's 45th anniversary consists of various webinars and technical guidance sessions.
“The Crafts Commodity Development Seminar will be held three times, the first of which we will attend today after the kick-off,
namely
the seminar on Design for Changing Product Function and Export Markets. The next seminars will be held in May and June,” Reni explained.
Other activities include assistance with natural dyeing and motif development for weaving SMIs in North Penajam Paser Regency, assistance with diversification of beadwork crafts in Balikpapan City, a Fashion and Craft Industry Empowerment Center seminar, a talk show at the Dekranas anniversary event, and participation in the Kriyanusa Exhibition at JICC Senayan, Jakarta.
“We will also hold the Wastra Commodity Development Seminar three times, in April, August and October,” she added. Reni hopes the activities will benefit artisans by broadening their insight, knowledge and productivity in order to increase the competitiveness of Indonesian crafts and wastra.
Source: Press Release of the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia