Speaking at a town hall meeting of the Coordinating Ministry for Food on Tuesday, he noted that President Prabowo Subianto has urged the program’s implementation to begin as soon as possible.
As many cooperatives still lack warehouses, stalls, and other supporting infrastructure, construction work must be accelerated, he said.
“By March 2026, we expect all warehouses and stalls to be completed. God willing, the Red and White Village Cooperatives will be running smoothly by then,” he stated.
Juliantono said the acceleration task force is working intensively to meet the target. To expedite development, task force members and regional coordinators have been instructed to identify idle land in villages suitable for cooperative facilities.
Related news: Minister urges local govts to allocate land for village co-ops
“We have begun collecting data and have identified at least 1,000 land plots in villages,” he said.
The ministry has also deployed business facilitators and project managers to oversee operations, with each responsible for 10 village cooperatives.
Their role, he added, will be crucial to ensure each cooperative runs effectively and benefits local communities.
Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan said the Red and White Village Cooperatives program is a key pillar of the government’s effort to rebuild a people-centered economy rooted in mutual cooperation and to strengthen national food sovereignty.
He emphasized that the initiative embodies the Pancasila economic principles of solidarity and equality amid global challenges.
President Prabowo officially launched the Red and White Village Cooperatives program on July 21 in Klaten, Central Java, covering around 80,000 cooperatives nationwide.
Related news: Indonesia sets 20% village co-op revenue allocation for rural govts
Translator: Shofi Ayudiana, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
