Jakarta — The Merah Putih Village Cooperative (Kopdes Merah Putih) program continues to be promoted by the government as a strategy to strengthen the people’s economy, stimulate village-based micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and create new job opportunities, particularly for the younger generation. The government is targeting tens of thousands of cooperatives to be actively operating throughout 2026 so that the economic benefits can be felt directly by communities at the village and subdistrict levels.
President Prabowo emphasized that the government is targeting at least 25,000 Kopdes Merah Putih to be operational by March from the total planned 81,000 cooperatives nationwide.
“We will see at least 25,000 Merah Putih cooperatives in operation from our plan of 81,000. We are confident that by March–April, 25,000 cooperatives will be functioning,” he said.
Prabowo expressed optimism that the development of village cooperatives can continue to accelerate through the end of the year. He targets that by December 2026, the number of active cooperatives will reach at least 60,000 units.
“By the end of 2026, the number of Merah Putih Cooperatives is targeted to reach at least 60,000 units,” Prabowo stated.
According to him, cooperatives will become the backbone of the people’s economy and drive economic revival across various sectors.
“This shows that the national economy will strengthen again across all sectors,” he stressed.
From the implementation perspective, Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono explained that Kopdes Merah Putih is designed as a solution to limited employment opportunities faced by the public, especially millennials and Generation Z. While leading a Ministry of Cooperatives working meeting in Bogor, Ferry noted that current labor market conditions have made it difficult for many young people to secure stable jobs.
He emphasized that village cooperatives are expected to open new economic spaces through productive business units, community-based services, and the creation of local employment opportunities.
“We hope that Kopdes Merah Putih can reach millennials and Generation Z, who are currently a key focus of the government, and thus become a solution to the limited job opportunities available to them,” Ferry said.
Ferry also highlighted the importance of strengthening human resources and cross-sector collaboration to ensure the optimal implementation of this strategic program.
“We must also not forget to prepare human resources and related modules to enhance the capacity of administrators, supervisors, and managers of the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives,” he added.
To date, more than 44,000 land locations have been mapped as sites for Kopdes Merah Putih outlets, with over 13,000 locations already constructed. The government has recorded more than 83,000 cooperatives with legal entity status, involving 1.65 million members and around 690,000 administrators, serving as a foundation for strengthening village MSMEs and creating sustainable employment opportunities. —
[edRW]
