Key Points to Know About SPPI Recruitment for Village Cooperatives
The Indonesian Ministry of Defence will recruit 30,000 development officers (Sarjana Penggerak Pembangunan Indonesia, or SPPI) to manage the Red and White Village Cooperatives (Koperasi Desa Merah Putih). These thousands of SPPI will serve as managers for approximately 80,000 cooperatives targeted to begin operations in August this year.
“The government targets the recruitment and training of around 30,000 management personnel with the support of the Ministry of Defence, Indonesian National Military (TNI), and National Police (Polri),” said Deputy Defence Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto at an acceleration meeting for the Red and White Village Cooperative programme, as stated in an official Ministry of Defence statement on Thursday, 12 March 2026.
What Is SPPI?
The SPPI recruitment and education programme by the Ministry of Defence was initiated by President Prabowo Subianto when he served as Defence Minister in 2020. The original objective was to prepare human resources to support the food security programme.
By July 2025, the Ministry of Defence had certified 32,000 SPPI personnel who were subsequently deployed as heads of free nutritious meal kitchens or nutritional services units across Indonesia. Before being declared successful and working for the free nutritious meal programme, SPPI candidates who passed administrative and interview selection underwent a three-month education programme administered by the Ministry of Defence.
SPPI Will Manage Up to 80,000 Cooperatives
Deputy Defence Minister Donny stated that the recruited SPPI will serve as managers for approximately 80,000 Red and White Village Cooperatives across various regions. The Red and White Village Cooperatives are one of the priority programmes of the Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka administration.
Prospective SPPI applicants will undergo selection and training processes organised by the Ministry of Defence. However, the duration of the education programme has not yet been confirmed.
Open to All University Graduates
Head of Information and Public Relations Bureau at the Defence Ministry Secretariat Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait explained that the SPPI recruitment for Village Cooperatives is open to the public. All bachelor’s and master’s degree holders from any discipline may apply as candidates for leadership positions in these cooperatives.
“Anyone may participate as long as they meet the requirement of having a bachelor’s degree as their final education qualification,” said Rico when contacted on Friday, 13 March 2026.
SPPI Graduates Will Become Cooperative Managers
Rico stated that participants who successfully complete the SPPI programme will be placed as managers at Red and White Village Cooperatives in various regions of Indonesia.
“SPPI is being prepared to develop human resources that support the operations and strengthening of cooperative governance in red and white village cooperatives as part of rural economic strengthening and to serve as managers at these cooperatives,” he said.
Education Scheduled to Begin June 2026
Rico stated that education for the manager positions at Red and White Village Cooperatives is planned to commence in June 2026. Various provisions regarding requirements, recruitment stages, and the SPPI selection registration schedule are still under discussion. “Currently, the government is still coordinating across ministries and agencies and preparing the implementation mechanism,” he said.
Criticised by Parliamentary Defence Commission Member
Tubagus Hasanuddin, a member of the House of Representatives’ Commission I overseeing defence matters, criticised the Ministry of Defence’s plan to recruit and manage workers for the red and white village cooperatives. The retired TNI officer believes that recruitment and human resource management for cooperatives should be handed over to the Ministry of Cooperatives.
He recommended that the Ministry of Defence should instead focus on its primary duty as manager of the national defence system. “Just the formation of military regional commands and battalions is already consuming time and attention,” said the politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle on Sunday, 15 March 2026.