Analyst views Kopdes as driving job equity in villages

Jakarta (ANTARA) - A labour expert from Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Tadjudin Nur Effendi, believes that the existence of red and white cooperatives will drive job equity at the village level. “Kopdes has the potential to create employment opportunities in rural areas for village youth,” Effendi said when contacted by ANTARA in Jakarta on Monday. Effendi stated that the Kopdes programme can contribute to stimulating the village economy. For example, he continued, if one Kopdes recruits five employees, then by June-July 2026, 150,000 job vacancies will be created. The government targets the completion of 30,000 red and white Kopdes by June-July 2026. The government has also conducted national recruitment or registration for 30,000 red and white Kopdes managers during the period of 15-24 April 2026. “Thus, job equity can accommodate workers who have been unemployed so far,” Effendi said. Moreover, he added, when 80,000 Kopdes are fully operational, approximately 400,000 jobs will be created. “In rural areas, job opportunities outside of agriculture are difficult. If Kopdes can absorb them, it would be extraordinary,” Effendi said. The government previously opened recruitment for 30,000 positions as red and white Kopdes managers. Participants who pass the selection will work under the auspices of the state-owned enterprise PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara with a fixed-term employment contract (PKWT) for two years. The Ministry of Cooperatives (Kemenkop) assures that the presence of Kopdes managers will not replace the role of board members, but rather only carry out operational management functions. Assistant Deputy for Organisation and Legal Entities at Kemenkop, Try Aditya Putra, said that the board position, including permanent members, remains the primary mandate holder because all strategic decisions are in the hands of the members’ meeting as the highest authority in the cooperative.