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Airlangga Praises BNI's Millennial Smartfarming Program

Airlangga Praises BNI's Millennial Smartfarming Program

Klaten, 24 September 2021 -- PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk or BNI is determined to help strengthen the digitalization of Indonesian agriculture amid limited agricultural land productivity. Through this agricultural digitization, the regeneration of farmers and the development of a digital agricultural ecosystem by involving the millennial generation will be faster. The strengthening of agricultural digitization is carried out through the Millennial Smartfarming Program. 

The program aims to create young farmers who have the capability to manage agricultural business processes by utilizing technology. Thus, the benefits of digitalization of agriculture can be truly felt in the agricultural sector. BNI's Millennial Smartfarming program prioritizes empowering young farmers through fostering and developing a digital agricultural ecosystem (Internet of Things/IoT) from upstream to downstream as well as increasing village financial inclusion.
In this regard, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto appreciated BNI for the distribution of People's Business Credit (KUR), especially in the agricultural sector.  

Currently, the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs continues to encourage the distribution of agricultural cluster KUR in order to contribute to the corporatization of farmers, so as to open wider economic access. One of the programs to encourage agricultural cluster KUR to become more massive is through the BNI Millennial Smartfarming Program.
In addition to the agricultural sector, BNI also focuses on mentoring and graduation efforts for MSMEs. This process is carried out in several stages, namely mentoring to increase the production capacity of MSMEs, then encouraging MSMEs to immediately digitize their business processes.

In addition to the agricultural sector, BNI also focuses on mentoring and the next stage is to help open online market access and then provide export market access through its overseas branches. On Friday (24 September 2021), the Coordinating Minister, Airlangga, visited Sidowayah, Polanharjo District, Klaten Regency, Central Java to witness the implementation of the BNI Millennial Smartfarming Program. Also present on the occasion were the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, the Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, the Deputy Regent of Klaten, Yoga Hardaya, the Deputy II of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Musdhalifah Machmud, Director of Institutional Relations of BNI Sis Apik WIjayanto, the GM of Small Business & BNI Programs Division. Bambang Setyatmojo, the Head of BNI Yogyakarta Regional Office, Mohammad Hisyam, representatives of MSMEs, and farmers, by applying strict health protocol standards.
In this series of activities, there was also a symbolic handover of KUR to BNI fostered MSMEs, as well as the submission of CSR in the form of 1 Ambulance to Al Hakim foundation. This CSR submission is a manifestation of BNI's concern for its social environment.

Airlangga explained in his remarks, "Agriculture in the Society 5.0 era is characterized by joint synergy for the agricultural sector involving information technology and internet networks that connect all operating units with various instruments (sensors, satellites, drones) and equipment (robots and machines) that enable it all to work synergistically, quickly, and accurately based on the latest relevant data and information. Our human resources must understand this, so that the role of the young generation or millennial generation is the driving force for agriculture," he explained.

Meanwhile, Sis Apik WIjayanto said, BNI invites millennials who are ready and have a high enthusiasm to become agricultural entrepreneurs by acting as a key player in agricultural business activities starting from data collection and farmer acquisition using technology applications. "Application of digital technology during cultivation, to the use of digital information systems in agricultural business management, as well as opening market access," he said.

Hartoyo, one of the millennial farmers who participated in this program, said that the application he learned was not so difficult to use. “We are aware that so far our cultivation is still conventional and we will try to use this technology to increase crop yields on our limited land. Breakthroughs like this are exactly what we need and we hope for the best results for our farmer groups”, he said.

On the same occasion, General Manager of the Small Business Division and BNI Program, Bambang Setyatmojo added, "The millennial smartfarming program is expected to provide positive stimulation to agricultural business actors, not only limited to the aspect of agricultural cultivation but also able to modernly integrate other potentials in fisheries/animal husbandry, so that in the end it is an increase in the welfare of the community. Thus, it is also expected to increase the distribution of BNI KUR," he conveyed.

BNI is increasingly active in supporting the welfare of farmers through the realization of KUR distribution in the agricultural sector, where BNI KUR for the agricultural sector in Klaten Regency as of 31 August 2021 was IDR 577.6 billion and spread to 104 farmers. As for the KUR of the agricultural sector, BNI as a whole touched the figure of Rp. 5.312 trillion and could be perceived by 124,129 farmers.

For more information, please contact:
BNI Corporate Secretary 
Phone: 021-5728387
Email: bni@bni.co.id

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