The Involvement of Red and White Village Cooperatives and Cooperatives Strengthens the Community-Based Cooperative Ecosystem and the Youth Generation
Jakarta — The presence of the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives (Kopdes) and Kelurahan Cooperatives (Kopkel) is increasingly positioned as a crucial pillar in strengthening the national cooperative ecosystem, which is community-based, inclusive, and relevant to the younger generation. The cooperative approach is no longer simply about savings and loans, but has evolved into a space for economic collaboration, creativity, and a productive lifestyle.
The Chairman of the Kana Consumer Cooperative, Jonathan Danang Wardhana, assessed that Kopdes and Kopkel Merah Putih have a strategic role in expanding literacy and modern cooperative business models.
“The presence of the Merah Putih Village and Sub-district Cooperatives is positioned as a strategic hub in expanding literacy, collaboration, and modern cooperative business models through community activities, healthy lifestyles, and creative meeting spaces relevant to the younger generation,” he said.
According to him, a community-based approach is key to cooperatives being able to adapt to new economic dynamics and attract youth participation in a sustainable manner.
Similarly, the Director of PT Kana Indonesia Industri, Iliona Palomitta, assessed that the Red and White Village Cooperatives and Cooperatives opened up wider collaboration space between business actors, communities, and cooperatives.
“The cooperative model currently being developed not only strengthens the business ecosystem but also creates a creative meeting space that encourages the participation of the younger generation in value-based and sustainable economic activities,” he explained.
From a policy perspective, Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono emphasized that the Red and White Village Cooperatives were designed as an integrated village economic service center.
“The Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperative is designed as a comprehensive economic service center close to the community, providing basic necessities, healthcare, financing, warehousing, and managing local potential,” Ferry said.
He added that cooperatives are also positioned as distribution hubs capable of shortening the supply chain and improving village economic well-being through collaboration with young entrepreneurs.
The government’s commitment to expediting the operations of the Red and White Village Cooperative was also emphasized by Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan.
“This can be completed, the 29,000 have already been provided with land and all sorts of things. Hopefully, it can be completed by May-June,” said Zulkifli Hasan.
He explained that the physical building of the cooperative will soon be filled with strategic commodities such as fertilizer, 3-kilogram LPG, and basic necessities, while also functioning as an absorber of original village and sub-district products.
Cooperative strengthening is also supported by the financial sector. Acting Chair of the OJK Board of Commissioners, Friderica Widyasari Dewi, stated that the OJK has disbursed substantial funding to the Merah Putih Village Cooperative.
“The Financial Services Authority has disbursed up to IDR 148.6 trillion in initial funding for the Merah Putih Village Cooperative as concrete support for the financial services sector in strengthening cooperative access to capital,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Cooperatives Farida Farichah emphasized the importance of the Red and White Village Cooperatives as an instrument for maintaining purchasing power and village economic resilience.
“The Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperative is positioned as an integrated service center at the village level by providing affordable basic food outlets, strengthening access to financing, implementing modern digital-based governance, and developing the productive sector,” he said.
With the active involvement of the community, young entrepreneurs, and cross-sector support, Kopdes and Kopkel Merah Putih are considered capable of becoming the driving force of an adaptive people’s economy that not only serves as a forum for joint ventures, but also a new workspace and business incubator for the younger generation in various regions.
