Jakarta (Greeners) – Indonesia’s Drug and Food agency, or locally known as BPOM, has been improving technical guidance and facilities of Herbs Micro, Small and Middle Enterprises, under the program of How To Make Better Traditional Medicine (or CPOTB), to support Nawa Cita and implement the 2011-2015 Herbs Development Road Map.
The program is aimed to produce high quality herbs which includes standards of security, benefit, and quality control, along with competitiveness.
Based on the agency monitoring data, majority of the small enterprises of herbs, which amounts to 83 percent out of traditional medicine production, could not meet requirements of CPOTB as they have yet to apply hygiene, sanitation and documentation in their production process.
“Hence, to develop herbs small enterprises in 2018, BPOM initiated the integrated program of competitive small business development. The program comprises of herbs small enterprises assistance in Central Java and East Java as the first pilot project,” said head of BPOM, Penny K. Lukito, in Jakarta, Wednesday (12/12/2018).
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Lukito said that assistance for herbs small enterprises is under the coordination and advocacy of relevant sectors, training of facilitators and technical training for herbs small enterprises were done in 2018.
“With CPOTB, it would improve herbs in the future as its development is very vast and sophisticated with innovations so that herbs are known, drink and easy to find anywhere,” she said.
Furthermore, she said young generation must be introduced with herbs as it serves as media to introduce culture legacy, herbs also beneficial for youth development. However, it must be accompanied with herbs quality.
“The good approach for this millennial is that they believe herbs are safe to drink, good packaging, in other words, easy to bring, and the education about herbs,” she said.
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The agency launched the 2018 Competitive Herbs Small Enterprises and Indonesia Herbs Expo in December 11-12, in Jakarta, where 34 certificates of CPOTB were granted to 34 herbs small enterprises which already receive training, permits to 25 traditional medicine produced by eight herbs small enterprises attending the training and 24 certifications from six traditional medicine industry.
“We are hoping that during the two days events will produce positive results, such as increase demands and supplies of save, healthy and quality herbs, to enhance quality and quantity of raw materials, promote the benefits of Indonesian herbs and develop Indonesian herbs development research,” she said.
Reports by Dewi Purningsih
21 Apr 2024 
