RRI.CO.ID, Boyolali - The government continues to encourage the strengthening of the rural economy thru the Export Village Program as part of efforts to equalize national economic growth. This program is designed to provide direct access for village flagship products to penetrate international markets without intermediaries.

Minister of Villages and Disadvantaged Areas Development, Yandri Susanto, emphasized that this scheme allows rural communities to directly enjoy economic added value. Yandri made the statement while attending the National Village Day commemoration in Boyolali, Central Java, on Thursday, 15 January 2026.

Now there are export villages, so it can go directly from the village to the destination country. For example, Kertasana Village in Pandeglang exports goldfish to France, òEngland, and Canada," Yandri stated in his speech.

Beside Pandeglang, Yandri also cited the success of Ngoran Village in Blitar, which was able to export djembe drums through the Village-Owned Enterprise (BUMDes). The local product successfully penetrated the Chinese market with annual revenue reaching 18 billion rupiah.

Yandri affirmed that the success of these villages will be used as a model to strengthen the role of villages as drivers of the national economy. The government is optimistic that Indonesia's local potential has high competitiveness in the global market if managed well.

The government aims to involve 5,000 export villages in this scheme going forward. This step will be followed by strengthening BUMDes (Village-Owned Enterprises), production assistance, and expanding access to global markets," he said.