Deputy Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono said on Sunday that a total of 842 cooperatives have been established across seven districts in West Papua, with each expected to employ around 10 to 20 people.
"These cooperatives are part of a community-based village economic development strategy because they create new jobs," he explained.
He expressed hope that his meeting with regional leaders in Manokwari on Saturday would accelerate the establishment of the remaining cooperatives.
According to Juliantono, the regional government is committed to ensuring all cooperatives obtain legal entity status by the end of July 2025.
He encouraged cooperatives in West Papua to become model cooperatives under the program so they could qualify for capital assistance from the Revolving Fund Management Institution (LPDB).
He noted that the initiative aims to stimulate village-level economies, with a broader impact on provincial and national economic development.
"This effort aligns with the government's push to ensure equitable welfare development in West Papua, starting from the village level," Juliantono added.
Oetje Prasetia, LPDB's Director of General and Legal Affairs, said the institution will assess selected model cooperatives for initial capital support of up to Rp3 billion (approximately US$185,000).
Nationwide, around 80,000 village cooperatives have been established. They are envisioned as economic and social service hubs in village communities, providing savings, loans, clinic services, and more.
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Translator: Fransiskus Salu, Raka Adji
Editor: Anton Santoso
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