Efforts to strengthen the capacity of business owners should not stop at institutional and legal aspects alone. They must also address one of the most important foundations of a sustainable business: financial management. This became the focus of a community service program organized by the Master of Agribusiness Management (MMA) Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada, on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at the Sidoluhur Village Hall in Kapanewon Godean.
The program, titled “Financial Record-Keeping for MSMEs,” featured Dr. Ir. Lestari Rahayu Waluyati, M.P. as the speaker. In her presentation, she emphasized the strategic role of MSMEs in the national economy, contributing 96.9% of total employment and 60.5% of Indonesia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Despite this major contribution, many MSMEs still face basic challenges in managing their finances.
One of the main issues identified was the lack of systematic financial record-keeping. Many MSME owners still mix personal and business finances, do not keep transaction receipts, and rely on memory to track income and expenses. As a result, they often struggle to understand the true condition of their business, including how to calculate profit, manage cash flow, and gain access to financing from formal financial institutions.
Through this program, participants were introduced to the importance of financial record-keeping as a practical tool for business decision-making. Proper bookkeeping allows MSME owners to control costs, reduce the risk of asset loss, manage debts and receivables, and monitor business growth over time. In addition, aspects that are often overlooked, such as depreciation costs, were also introduced as an important part of calculating profit more accurately.
As a practical step, the speaker encouraged MSMEs to begin applying simple bookkeeping practices, such as separating personal and business accounts, recording all transactions regularly, grouping transactions by category, and preparing financial reports on a regular basis. The use of technology was also introduced as a useful strategy, through applications such as Makari Jurnal and PosLite, which can help simplify business administration.
This program forms part of MMA UGM’s commitment to improving the financial literacy of MSME owners as a foundation for sustainable business development. More broadly, it also contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth through strengthening the capacity of micro-enterprises, and SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure through the use of technology in business management. In addition, the collaboration between the university and the community in this program also reflects the spirit of SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
Through ongoing community service initiatives, MMA UGM not only offers solutions to real challenges in the field, but also creates a contextual learning space that enriches students’ experiences. This approach is one of MMA UGM’s strengths in preparing graduates who are not only academically capable, but also adaptive and responsive to the needs of the business world.
Event Documentation:
