Deputy Minister Addresses Dilemma Over Village Cooperative Locations on Farmland

Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono has commented on the issue of several Village/Sub-district Red and White Cooperatives (KDKMP) in Central Java being established on Sustainable Food Agricultural Land (LP2B). He stressed that the location for the construction of KDKMP has gone through a village consultation process.

Sudaryono explained that land conversion is already regulated, including when it relates to National Strategic Projects (PSN). “The point is that land taken for PSN, for factories, for whatever reason, because it is important, if it cannot be avoided, if possible we should build it on land that is not a rice field,” Sudaryono said after attending a Revolving Fund Socialisation event for the LPDB Koperasi in Semarang City on Tuesday (14/7/2026).

He admitted that finding a location for the construction of KDKMP is rather difficult. “If you build it in a rice field, it’s wrong. If you build it on land that is not a rice field, they say there are no people there. It is difficult either way,” he said.

Therefore, Sudaryono believes that all parties should be wise. “The point is that all Kopdes locations are based on the agreement of the village residents, of the Kopdes members,” he said. “Where it is to be built, that is the agreement. It is not my wish, not the Minister’s wish, not anyone else’s wish. It is the wish of the village residents,” added Sudaryono.