Kopontren Strengthened as a Driver of the Ummah's Economy, Digital Services the Key

Jakarta – The Ministry of Cooperatives (Kemenkop), together with other stakeholders, continues to push the growth of Kopontren (Cooperatives of Pesantren), both in quantity and quality, as a basis for economic institutions within pesantren communities. This effort is expected to improve members’ welfare while strengthening the role of pesantren in the umat’s economic development. Deputy Minister of Cooperatives Faridah Farichah emphasised that Kopontren has great potential as a community-based economic engine. The cooperative principle is even seen as aligned with the spirit of Islam, which emphasises mutual aid, kinship, and solidarity in every venture or activity. “In essence, the values developed by cooperatives are the same as those taught by Islam. In a cooperative as well, according to the 1945 Constitution, the economy is a joint effort formed on the principles of mutual cooperation and teamwork,” Faridah said during her remarks at the Year-End Meeting RAT of Kopontren Daarut Tauhid in Bandung, on Tuesday (3/3/2026). Faridah stressed that Kopontren is not merely a forum for joint ventures, but also serves as a vehicle to empower the umat’s potential. “Thus the President wants to steer its direction in line with cooperatives, which today are mandated to be established in every village and urban village as Desa/Kelurahan Merah Putih Cooperatives,” she added. According to records from Kemenkop and the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag), there are around 42,000 pesantren across Indonesia. However, among them only about 6,000 have Kopontren. Therefore, at Daarut Tauhid Pesantren, Faridah invited all parties to collaborate to make Kopontren a welfare-oriented umat economic institution and to support government priority programs such as the Desa/Kelurahan Merah Putih Cooperatives. “I think today is a moment to mainstream cooperatives, and I am very pleased that the pesantren also share the same spirit as Daarut Tauhid, which today has hosted its 31st RAT,” she continued. Faridah reiterated that Kopontren, with its network, has demonstrated its ability to build an inclusive and sustainable economic ecosystem. She noted that many Kopontren have become exemplars of professional governance, transparency, and welfare-oriented performance. With this potential, the government will continue to strengthen mentoring and facilitate access to capital so Kopontren can compete and grow larger. However, she also urged Kopontren to adapt to technology to avoid falling behind. “Community awareness of cooperatives among pesantren people still needs to be raised. Education and outreach are key, where digital literacy is one of the important factors in strengthening cooperatives,” she said. She praised the success of Kopontren Daarut Tauhid, which has managed to partner with various parties and deliver broader benefits. The Deputy Minister hopes other cooperatives can imitate the model developed by Kopontren, thereby creating a sustainable pesantren economic ecosystem. “Cooperatives should be a path to blessings, not merely financial profit,” she concluded.