INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta, Indonesia is a country rich in cultural diversity and customs. This culture inspires the domestic industry in creating products that utilize local wisdom. This culture-based product is a product of high economic value as well as a national identity.

The Ministry of Industry through the Directorate General of Small and Medium Industries (IKM) continues to work on craftsmen to improve the quality of products produced so as to compete and be accepted internationally.

In order that the Directorate General of SME Ministry of Industry in cooperation with the Foundation of Women for the Nation (PUN), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bhayangkari organizes exhibitions of various products featured Indonesian culture. This exhibition also commemorates the 72nd Birthday of the Republic of Indonesia.

"The target of this exhibition is also to facilitate local SME actors to dare to appear so that more widely known by the public, especially, industry with a cultural base that is closely related to the IKM," said Director General of IKM Ministry of industry, Gati Wibawaningsih during the exhibition of Indonesian Featured Products in Plasa Industri of the Ministry of Industry, Jakarta, Monday (14/08/2017).

She added that this culture-based industry is closely related to IKM. Handmade production processes and the use of raw materials from nature is one form of cultural preservation by IKM. "Evidently, IKM can play a role as a national economy that is resistant to global economic shocks," she explained.

According to Gati, in the midst of weakening world economic conditions, IKM tends to survive and competitiveness. To date, the number of IKMs reaches 4.4 million business units with a total employment of 10.1 million people, thus becoming a force for the majority sector to contribute Continuously to the state in realizing economic independence.

On the other hand, Chairman of PUN, Yantie Isfandiary Airlangga convey, culture has been an inspiration for the domestic industry to create various products based on local wisdom. So these products become high economic value as well as showing the identity of the nation.

"Products based on culture and local wisdom among others batik, traditional weaving, handicrafts, woven, leather and leather products and jewelry that utilizes natural raw materials from Indonesia," added Yantie.

The leading product exhibition which was held on 14-16 August 2017 at industrial plaza of Ministry of Industry was attended by 49 participants consisting of SMEs fashion, handicrafts, jewelry, leather products, cosmetics, coffee and other processed products. Some of the exhibitors already export to various countries.

"It is expected that through this exhibition will be more IKM business actor who is not only known in the country but has an export orientation for the products it produces," concluded Yantie.