Government to Hold National Seminar on 'Red and White' Village Cooperatives in Makassar and North Maluku
The Ministry of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions is holding a National Seminar on the Red and White Village/Sub-district Cooperatives (KDKMP) in Makassar on 4 August 2026 and in North Maluku on 5 August 2026. The event is scheduled to be opened by Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan.
The seminar is being held as part of efforts to improve public literacy regarding the Red and White Village/Sub-district Cooperatives Programme, which is one of the government’s strategic programmes. Through Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2025 and Presidential Instruction Number 17 of 2025, the government has mandated the establishment of more than 80,000 Red and White Village/Sub-district Cooperatives units across Indonesia. The programme is part of efforts to strengthen community economic independence while supporting sustainable food self-sufficiency.
Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions Yandri Susanto stated that the seminar is being held to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the objectives, urgency, and implementation of the Red and White Village/Sub-district Cooperatives Programme. “Therefore, it is necessary to hold a seminar on KDKMP as an effort to educate and socialise the intent, objectives, urgency, and implementation steps of the KDKMP programme in a transparent and comprehensive manner,” Yandri said in a written statement on Monday (3/6/2026).
He expressed hope that the activity would enhance the understanding of all stakeholders so they can optimise the role of KDKMP as a driver of an independent, inclusive, and sustainable village economy. The seminar will be attended by approximately 700 participants from provincial governments, district/city governments, village governments, KDKMP administrators, academics, community and youth organisations, and the general public.
Several ministers and stakeholders are scheduled to be resource persons at the seminar. The Minister of Cooperatives will present the background, objectives, institutional framework, and business development of KDKMP, while the Minister of Home Affairs will discuss the role of local governments in supporting the programme’s implementation. Meanwhile, Yandri will present the implementation of KDKMP in village economic development and empowerment. The President Director of PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara is also scheduled to explain the physical construction mechanism and operational support for KDKMP. In addition, Professor H. Marsuki, DEA., Ph.D., a Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Hasanuddin University, will also attend as a resource person.
“This activity will comprehensively discuss the development progress of KDKMP so that village communities understand this priority programme in greater detail,” he said. According to Yandri, the presence of KDKMP is expected to shorten the distribution chain for agricultural necessities, such as fertiliser and seeds. Furthermore, the cooperatives are also expected to provide village food barns, accommodate farmers’ harvests at fair prices, and deliver direct economic added value to village communities. He assessed that strong cooperative management at the village level will become a crucial foundation for realising national food sovereignty. Thus, villages will not only become production centres but also play a strategic role in strengthening national food security and the economy.