Inkopontren prepares pesantren as supply-chain link for Kopdes and MBG

Consolidation has been carried out since the early formation of the Koperasi Desa Merah Putih. The Vice Chairman of Inkopontren, KH Suharisto, said that pesantren would be synergised with Koperasi Desa Merah Putih through strengthening the supply chain to support government programmes, including the provision of raw materials for the MBG kitchen.

‘Consolidation has been carried out since the early formation of Koperasi Desa Merah Putih. In this scheme, the MBG kitchen, which is under Inkopontren coordination, will absorb raw materials from business actors affiliated with the village cooperatives as well as the pesantren environment,’ he said after the National Working Meeting (Rakernas) of Inkopontren 2026 in Jakarta on Wednesday.

In addition to supplying foodstuffs, the pesantren cooperative (kopontren) is also projected to become a supplier of daily needs for pesantren through a consumer goods scheme. Thus, pesantren will not only be recipients of benefits, but also become part of an interconnected business ecosystem with the village cooperatives.

Currently, he continued, there are already 20 inkopontren across Indonesia that serve kopontren-kopontren in their regions by linking various business actors.

‘So what is operating now is 20 inkopontren at the centre. They already have regional centres, 20 kopontren centres in provincial zones, which then directly serve the pesantren, kopontren by name, directly to the destinations of business actors,’ he said.

There are currently 5,000 pesantren across Indonesia with tens of millions of santri.

‘If we have inkopontren, how powerful kopontren in Indonesia will be, we will achieve economic independence and prosper Muslims as commanded by the Prophet Muhammad SAW,’ Suharisto said.