Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises play an important role in Indonesia’s economy. In the food sector, MSMEs are not only drivers of local economic growth but also an important part of the national food supply system. To strengthen this role, the FUSION Programme, or Food Supply Chain Integration Programme, was introduced to help MSMEs strengthen their business capacity and connect with the food supply chain ecosystem.
This program is designed to help MSMEs grow, improve business quality, and expand market access. Through training, mentoring, and business networking activities, this program opens opportunities for MSMEs to engage in a broader market, including within the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program ecosystem.
The FUSION programme is implemented through a collaboration between the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs, the RT4D Facility, and various partners in the business and development ecosystem. This collaboration enables the program to not only provide training but also connect MSMEs with various key actors such as financial institutions, business associations, and market partners.
In the initial phase, this programme is being implemented in West Java Province, with a focus on MSMEs operating in the food, agriculture, and other related sectors. This region was selected because it has strong potential for food production, as well as opportunities to strengthen supply chains that support various national programmes.
One of the main focuses of this programme is to help MSMEs understand and connect with the MBG ecosystem. This ecosystem consists of various actors involved in the provision of nutritious meals, ranging from food producers, food processing businesses, raw material suppliers, meal provider kitchens, to businesses managing food waste. By strengthening connections among business actors within this supply chain, MSMEs can gain more stable and sustainable business opportunities.
Through this programme, participants will take part in various training and business capacity-strengthening activities. The materials cover business financial management, simple bookkeeping, food safety and quality standards, production and post-harvest practices, the use of digital tools for MSMEs, as well as marketing and brand development strategies. Participants will also gain an understanding of business certification and regulations that are important for expanding market access.
The training is not only theoretical. This programme also provides direct mentoring from experienced experts and practitioners. The mentoring helps MSME actors apply the knowledge they gain in their daily business operations, so that the resulting changes can be more tangible and sustainable.
In addition to capacity strengthening, the FUSION programme also focuses on market access and business partnerships. One of the key activities in this programme is connecting MSMEs with potential buyers, distributors, investors, or business partners through specially designed activities. Through this process, business actors can build new business relationships and identify cooperation opportunities that are relevant to their products or services.
The programme also helps MSMEs connect with financial institutions or financing schemes that can support business development. Although the programme does not provide direct grants, support in building connections with financing institutions can help MSMEs address the capital access constraints often faced in business development.
In its implementation, the FUSION programme also applies GEDSI principles. This approach ensures that women, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable groups have equal opportunities to participate in and benefit from the programme. The programme targets around 40 percent participation from women-owned businesses or businesses owned by groups that face barriers in accessing economic opportunities.
In the initial or pilot phase, around 22 MSMEs with approximately 30 participants will take part in a series of activities over several months. The programme is designed as an initial model that can be expanded in the future to support more MSMEs across different regions.
Through an approach that combines training, mentoring, and business network strengthening, the FUSION Programme is expected to help MSMEs improve their business capacity, expand market access, and become a stronger part of the national food supply chain. For MSME actors in the food sector, this programme creates opportunities to grow while contributing to better food provision for communities.