Speaking at an online coordination meeting with the Riau Islands government on Thursday, Setiadi emphasized that the archipelagic province is home to villages with significant strength in the fisheries sector, particularly in the districts of Natuna and Anambas islands.
"We expect Riau Islands to focus on Red and White Village Cooperatives that are based on optimizing marine resources, becoming a role model for other regions that share similar geographic features," he noted in a statement cited in Jakarta.
The minister expressed confidence that developing cooperatives established under the national program would help rural regions alleviate extreme poverty among their residents.
For this initiative to yield the desired outcomes, he underscored the need for all stakeholders to align their vision and efforts while avoiding ego-driven approaches.
Setiadi then underlined that the Ministry of Cooperatives is fully committed to supporting the establishment of such cooperatives nationwide, including in the Riau Islands.
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To this end, he said his office would facilitate the issuance of necessary notarial deeds, conduct capacity-building activities for cooperatives in collaboration with universities, and provide incentives for well-performing cooperatives.
Riau Islands Governor Ansar Ahmad welcomed the minister's directive, assuring him that the provincial government had devised various initiatives to advance the cooperatives program.
The initiatives include allocating a budget of Rp2.25 billion (around US$136 thousand), deploying extension workers, and preparing Rp200 million (about US$12 thousand) in incentives for each cooperative that makes notable contributions to the public.
He informed the minister that the Riau Islands would direct the planned cooperatives to tap into the region's abundant marine resources and tourism appeal.
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Translator: Shofi A, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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