UNS — Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation Affairs (Risnov) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta Prof. Kuncoro Diharjo mentioned that Indonesia has two sectors that could recover the national economic condition. These two sectors are agriculture and digital sectors because both sectors showed a positive trend amid the pandemic that occurred for almost 1.5 years. Prof. Kuncoro shared his observation result in the National Seminar “Community Empowerment to Support Post-Pandemic Productivity” on Thursday (7/10/2021).
“We see the selection of empowered business sectors during the Covid-19 pandemic, the sector that survives for more than a year with the highest percentage is agriculture with 75% followed by IT with 73.3% and fintech with 72.7%,” Prof. Kuncoro stated.
In the national seminar held by the UP KKN UNS, Prof. Kuncoro explained that MSMEs in the agricultural sector need to utilize technology development to market their products online. The combination between agricultural and digital sectors could slowly recover MSMEs performance from the damaging impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. He also considers the government’s decision that starts to focus on the agricultural sector is correct because food is one of the basic needs that people search for during the pandemic. As an agrarian country with expansive agricultural lands has great potential to develop the agricultural sector.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic, most MSMEs only generate 10-15% of their daily sales in the normal condition,” Prof. Kuncoro stated.
Prof. Kuncoro also discussed the digital sector that has the potential to recover the Indonesian economy because 59% of MSMEs in Indonesia have shifted their focus to e-commerce. Then, Prof. Kuncoro explained that during the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a spike in the online transaction of 69%. “Not to mention from other (sectors), for example, 41% spike in health consumption and medicine purchase online and 65% jump in digital payment,” he added.
Considering the positive growth, the Vice-Rector stated that the community needs to understand the Indonesian digital economic model that involves five sectors: financial technology (fintech), e-commerce, digital wellness services, Internet of Things (IoT), and on-demand services. He added that these five sectors have observable benefits in society and continuous and positive growth.
“Now there are restaurants that seem quiet, but the online order is extremely busy. In the past, when we want to find food for the whole family, we need to look together. But now? We only need to access food delivery services,” Prof. Kuncoro concluded. Humas UNS
Reporter: Yefta Christopherus AS
Editor: Dwi Hastuti