We should keep up with the development of technology as well as follow the dynamics and trends, however, we must still adhere to our cultural values.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration (PDTT) Minister Abdul Halim Iskandar has emphasized that the development of digital village cooperatives applications must be in line with local cultural values.

Cooperatives can help develop the economic potential of rural communities by providing joint business and marketing opportunities, he said, according to an official statement released by the Village PDTT Ministry on Thursday.

"Hence, village communities can get bigger resources and capital through cooperation," he explained while launching the Koperasi Urun Dana Sejahtera (Prosperous Crowdfunding Cooperatives) application in Surabaya city, East Java province on Wednesday (June 14, 2023).

The minister said that the use of digital applications can improve the efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness of cooperatives in providing various services to the community.

He further said he expects the use of cooperatives applications to accommodate the interests of people as well as increase their welfare.

"We should keep up with the development of technology as well as follow the dynamics and trends, however, we must still adhere to our cultural values," he remarked.

Iskandar said that his ministry strongly supports the development of cooperatives as they provide access to capital and credit for individual economic actors or small business groups in villages, thus bolstering the rural economy.

"Mr. President Jokowi (Joko Widodo) assigned me to improve two key aspects, namely economic growth and human resources," he informed.

Hence, he said that his ministry will continue to ensure that the Village Funds disbursed by the central government from the state budget would bolster the two aspects in 74,961 villages across Indonesia.

Earlier, Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Minister Teten Masduki said he is aiming to modernize 500 cooperatives, especially the ones in the food sector, during the 2020–2024 period.

Accordingly, the Cooperatives and SMEs Ministry has deployed 134 officers to assist 159 cooperatives in modernizing their operations and services until the end of 2023.

Deputy for cooperatives at the ministry, Ahmad Zabadi, outlined two parameters of a modern cooperative: using digital platforms for operations as well as collaborating with formal financial institutions.

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Translator: Zubi Mahrofi, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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