Indonesia urges ASEAN to strengthen agricultural cooperatives for food security

Indonesia is advocating for the strengthening of agricultural cooperatives among ASEAN member states to bolster food security. This initiative comes in response to the threats posed by climate change and the El Nino phenomenon, which risk disrupting food availability across the region.

Speaking at the 32nd ASEAN Centre for the Development of Agricultural Cooperatives (ACEDAC) meeting in Yogyakarta, Indonesian Deputy Minister of Cooperatives Farida Farichah emphasized that cooperatives must serve as drivers of the real sector. She noted that strengthening these institutions is essential for connecting farmers to financing, technology, production tools, processing, distribution, and market access.

The goal is for cooperatives to become the leading sector and the front line for achieving food self-sufficiency in their respective countries. Indonesia aims to facilitate the exchange of best practices and experiences in cooperative management to support rural economic development and regional food stability.