Jakarta – The presence of Koperasi Merah Putih in various regions has become a breath of fresh air in strengthening the village economy, particularly through strategic synergies with Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes). This partnership model is seen as a way to enhance the productivity of village businesses, expand market access, and promote inclusive economic independence for communities.
The Deputy Minister of Village and Underdeveloped Region Development (Wamendes PDT), Ahmad Riza Patria, stated that the main goal of Koperasi Merah Putih is to build an ecosystem based on mutual cooperation that aligns with the empowerment vision of BUMDes.
“We are here to strengthen, not to take over. In fact, we want to be a catalyst so that BUMDes can grow, become competitive, and serve as a sustainable economic pillar for villages,” he said.
Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, explained that the formation of Koperasi Desa Merah Putih is in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive in Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2025. This village-owned cooperative will be designed holistically to drive the village economy and meet the needs of rural communities.
“This is a complete cooperative, with a grocery store, a cooperative office, a simple clinic and pharmacy, cold storage, and more. The essentials come directly from the producers to the village, and farmer groups join this cooperative. We aim to eliminate middlemen,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan), Sudaryono, mentioned that there are 755,542 farmer groups or 30,000 combined farmer groups throughout Indonesia. From these agricultural institutions, 5,063 cooperatives have been established. Collaboration with Koperasi Desa Merah Putih could become a powerful force for managing agricultural businesses in villages.
“From the farmer groups, there are economic activity units for farmers (KEP), totaling 14,000, with around 5,000 of them being cooperatives. The next step is to elaborate and integrate Koperasi Desa Merah Putih according to the needs, capacities, and potentials of each village,” he said.
With a collaborative partnership approach, Koperasi Merah Putih not only serves as a business partner but also as an agent of economic transformation in villages. It is hoped that this model can be replicated in more areas, so its impact will be even broader.
The collaboration between BUMDes and modern cooperatives like Koperasi Merah Putih is seen as a solution to the fragmented economic development challenges that villages have faced. This synergy underscores that village independence can only be achieved through collective efforts and based on local strengths.
Koperasi Desa Merah Putih will later collaborate with farmer cooperatives as part of the national strategy to develop the village economy and expand farmers’ access to agricultural businesses.
Koperasi Merah Putih also offers various forms of support and cooperation, ranging from business management training, legal strengthening, to the distribution of BUMDes products to regional and national markets. This initiative has received positive feedback from BUMDes managers, especially in improving governance quality and expanding distribution networks.
