Indonesia's Village Cooperatives Drive Food Security and Rural Growth

Minister of Coordinating Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan announced that the Koperasi Desa/Kelurahan Merah Putih (KDKMP) will serve as a strategic instrument to strengthen national food security and stimulate rural economic development. The village cooperatives are being built as integrated service hubs linking farmers, fishers, government agencies, businesses and communities, acting as off‑takers of commodities, logistics nodes, subsidy distributors and operators of programs such as free nutritious meals. Each cooperative may host a grocery store, savings unit, clinic, pharmacy and cold‑storage facility connected with state‑owned enterprises. To date, 83,382 cooperatives are legally registered, 79,708 have Simkopdes accounts and 60,801 hold business identification numbers; 35,857 land sites are ready, 16,180 units are under construction and 19,222 are completed. The government aims to accelerate construction of about 35,000 units by August 2026 with financing support and cross‑agency coordination.

Gerindra DPR member Hj. Rahmawati visited a rice‑seed center in Bulungan, North Kalimantan, highlighting how the Red‑White Cooperative has improved farmers’ access to fertilizer, equipment and guaranteed markets for their harvests. She reaffirmed the party’s commitment to President Prabowo Subianto’s self‑sufficiency target and pledged continued oversight of farmers’ needs.