JAKARTA – Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions (Mendes PDT) Yandri Susanto visited the iNews Media Group headquarters in Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday (October 6, 2026).

Minister Yandri emphasized that the media plays a pivotal role in rural development partnerships, representing a key pillar within the octahelix collaboration model actively championed by the ministry.

"The media serves as an essential component of the octahelix model, making it a highly strategic partner in accelerating rural development," Minister Yandri stated.

To this end, Kemendes PDT seeks to collaborate with iNews Media Group to ensure that the ministry's flagship policies and programs are effectively communicated and disseminated to the public.

These initiatives fall under the 12 Actions to Build Villages, Build Indonesia framework (12 Aksi Bangun Desa, Bangun Indonesia), encompassing Village-Owned Enterprises (BUM Desa), Red and White Village Cooperatives, Export Villages, Thematic Villages, Tourism Villages, Youth Village Pioneers, and Drug-Free Villages.

Minister Yandri underscored the vital role of mainstream media amid the rapid surge of social media information. He noted that established news outlets remain the primary reference point for accurate and educational reporting.

"Amid today's noisy social media landscape, mainstream media plays a crucial role in enhancing public media literacy, providing balanced coverage, and serving as a reliable benchmark for accurate news," Minister Yandri explained.

Addressing the 1,000 Grape Villages initiative, Minister Yandri noted that it falls under the Thematic Village program, alongside dedicated villages for layer chickens, broiler chickens, catfish, tilapia, and corn. This model was successfully implemented in Merak Batin Village, South Lampung.

"The Grape Village model has already yielded its first harvest, and we aim to replicate this success across approximately 1,000 villages. Beyond serving as local tourist attractions, these villages will act as primary suppliers of raw agricultural commodities for the national Free Nutritious Meal program," Minister Yandri stated.

Meanwhile, Vice President Director and Director of News at iNews Media Group, Syafril Nasution, expressed strong appreciation for the visit and welcomed strategic cooperation with Kemendes PDT.

He highlighted that Kemendes PDT holds a vital mandate, particularly in advancing progress at the rural level to achieve the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.

"During our discussion, we noted that this ministry occupies a truly strategic position. As the nation prepares for its centenary in 2045, empowering and elevating rural communities will prove decisive in securing the goals of Golden Indonesia," Syafril Nasution added.

Accompanying Minister Yandri during the visit were Secretary-General of Kemendes PDT Taufik Madjid, Director General of Economic Development and Investment Tabrani, Head of the Human Resources Development Agency Agustomi Masik, and Head of the Information Development Agency Mulyadin Malik.

Photo: Didi/Kemendes PDT 
Text: Firman/Kemendes PDT