Five West Sumbawa-based small-scale enterprises displayed their best products during the Moto GP Mandalika, held during 18-20 March 2022. Tens of thousands of visitors to this international motorcycling event were introduced to the products in a program run by PT Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara (AMMAN) and the Department of Cooperative Industry and Trade of West Sumbawa Regency (KSB) to open opportunities for various sectors for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the West Sumbawa region.
The participants were beverage producers UD Kabar Bumi and UD Tapir Barokah, Kawa Rama Coffee Roastery from the Rarak Ronges highlands, Bale Duren KSB produces processed versions of Southeast Asia’s iconic durian fruit, and Kanty Store, which sells Sumbawa-themed souvenirs.
AMMAN Head of Social Impact, Priyo Pramono, explained that the large numbers of both domestic and international visitors make this event an ideal venue for MSME partners to package their products creatively and attractively. “One of our key community development and empowerment programs seeks to make the products of West Sumbawa MSME products more competitive and gain wider exposure by boosting the producers’ knowledge and skills. The Moto GP event is an opportunity for AMMAN-assisted MSMEs to apply the knowledge they have gained and get direct feedback from customers from within and outside the country,” said Priyo.
Wardani Murti from Kawa Rama Coffee stated that the Moto GP event not only has the potential to increase local sales, but also to introduce original products from West Sumbawa to global consumers. “Our motivation is to introduce the three types of superior coffee we produce in Rarak Ronges: Robusta, Liberica, and Wild Luwak. We are grateful for the opportunity provided by AMMAN and the regional government to pave the way for us to introduce products at this Moto GP event. Hopefully, the news of Rarak coffee can reach all corners of the world, and we can feel the positive benefits,” said Wardani.
MSME development programs carried out by AMMAN include Focus Group Discussions (FGD) on the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, quality and production improvement, business mapping, as well as branding and marketing-strategy education. “Our efforts in fostering MSMEs are in step with the efforts of the KSB government. We hope that this synergy can continue, and more MSMEs from the KSB region will continue to develop and so support the growth of the tourism industry ecosystem. Our programs represent our efforts to create the best legacy for the communities around our operational areas. We hope that when the mine is finally decommissioned, we will leave the people of KSB a choice of excellent economic opportunities, such as a robust tourism industry,” concluded Priyo.
