On 6 February 2026, five OMB members from Keliha, Ledetalo, and Matei held a marketing dialogue on local food products with the Department of Industry and Trade of Sabu Raijua Regency. The meeting took place at the Disperindag office located in the DPRD building of Sabu Raijua Regency and was received by Ms. Emmy Hermiati R, S.TP, Head of the Industrial Division.

The dialogue served as a strategic step to open collaboration opportunities in marketing local food products. Marketing remains a major challenge for local food MSMEs due to their distance from urban centers, high transportation costs, and limited access to proper marketing spaces that affect product hygiene and shelf life. During the dialogue, OMB presented several local processed products, including Local Food Cereal, Banana Chips, and Fried Corn from Ledetalo Village, Local Food Cereal from Keliha Village, as well as VCO and Fried Corn from Matei Village.

During the discussion, the Department of Industry and Trade explained that the government has provided marketing space for small and medium industries through NTT Mart Sabu Raijua, located at the Nataga Public Market Complex in Roeloro Village, a strategic location. This scheme is a collaboration between the Provincial Government of NTT, the Sabu Raijua Regency Government, and Dekranasda in each regency across NTT. The platform accommodates and markets local products under a profit sharing system. This initiative represents the government’s contribution to supporting MSMEs, including partners of SHEEP Indonesia in Sabu Raijua.

In the dialogue, OMB emphasized the importance of stronger government attention to elevate the status and protection of local food and to improve the welfare of local food MSME actors, as mandated in Regent Regulation of Sabu Raijua No. 4 of 2025 on the Regional Action Plan for Food Diversification Based on Local Resource Potential. Three representatives out of the five OMB members present highlighted several ongoing challenges, including limited knowledge regarding business permits such as NIB, PIRT, and Halal Certification, limited equipment affecting production quantity and quality, and the need for proper packaging and product labeling.

The Department of Industry and Trade responded by expressing readiness to facilitate packaging and labeling needs through its regular programs. The department also committed to facilitating business licensing processes and providing assistance, particularly for communities located far from the office, such as those in Liae, East Sabu, Hawu Mehara, and Raijua Island.

As a follow up, the department has proposed local food processing training funded by the Provincial Government of NTT, especially training on local food cereal processing. The training will target village officials, PKK groups, health cadres, and community members in Molie Village, Hawu Mehara District, with OMB serving as resource persons. This involvement creates an opportunity for OMB to strengthen its presence before the department, demonstrate its technical capacity and field experience, and build trust that will enable smoother and faster collaboration in the future.