Born from Buying Rendang Online, Nagari Creative Hub Now Powers Village Economies in West Sumatra

DHARMASRAYA — The West Sumatra Provincial Government continues to drive the economy at the nagari (village) level. Deputy Governor Vasko Ruseimy and Dharmasraya Regent Annisa Suci Ramadhani launched a Nagari Creative Hub (NCH) in Nagari Sungai Duo, Sitiung District, Dharmasraya Regency, on Friday evening, 30 October 2026, watched by thousands of residents.

NCH is a 2026 provincial program to build a creative economy ecosystem at the nagari level. NCH Sungai Duo is the first in Dharmasraya and one of 13 nagari designated as initial sites for NCH development across West Sumatra.

An Idea Sparked by Buying Rendang

The idea for NCH came from a simple experience. When Vasko tried to buy rendang online, he found that many of the shops selling the Minang specialty were based outside West Sumatra.

“At first, I wanted to buy rendang through a digital platform. But when I looked at the shops selling it, many were from outside West Sumatra, even though rendang is West Sumatra’s signature dish. That is what gave rise to the NCH idea,” Vasko said, as quoted by RRI.

The biggest challenge, he said, is not residents’ ability to make quality products, but getting those products widely known. He pointed to the many varieties of rendang, from beef rendang in Tanah Datar, Bukittinggi, Agam and Payakumbuh to seafood rendang in coastal areas. “This kind of richness must be known by the wider public, especially people outside West Sumatra,” he said.

17 Local MSME Tenants

NCH Sungai Duo hosts 17 local business tenants: 16 culinary tenants and one fashion craft tenant, Batik Tanah Liek Citra Batik Dharmasraya, which showcases local motifs and cultural identity. The hub also features an arts stage, Lapau Nagari as a space for community activities and marketing local products, and Teras Nagari as an information center and community gathering space.

West Sumatra Community and Village Empowerment (PMD) Office head Mahdianur stressed that NCH is more than a place to sell. “We want this place to be a space for village MSMEs to grow, as well as an attractive destination for people to come, shop and enjoy local products,” he said, as quoted by Langgam.id.

Digital and Conventional, Side by Side

Through NCH, MSMEs receive mentoring from experienced digital marketing practitioners, covering product development, packaging design, branding, promotion, e-commerce and live streaming. The provincial government will also involve regional agencies to strengthen human resources and help with access to capital.

“Right, we will help facilitate digital marketing, without forgetting physical or conventional markets. We combine the two,” Vasko said, as quoted by Minangsatu.

Regent Annisa welcomed the program and hopes Sungai Duo can become a model for other nagari in Dharmasraya. “We want the nagari to be more than just suppliers of raw materials,” she said. She noted Sungai Duo’s strong foundation: the work ethic of former transmigrant residents combined with the trading spirit of the Minangkabau. “Thank you, Uda Vasko. I am confident this will be a solution for expanding markets and improving people’s economy,” she added.

With NCH in place, the provincial government hopes nagari products will not only be known in local markets but also compete nationally, opening new business opportunities and improving the welfare of village communities.

Summarized from RRI Padang, Langgam.id and Minangsatu (in Indonesian).