Ministry of Cooperatives Partners with Canada's CDF to Strengthen Capacity of Merah Putih Village Cooperatives' Human Resources

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Cooperatives (Kemenkop) has forged a partnership with the Co-operative Development Foundation (CDF) of Canada as part of a strategy to strengthen the national cooperative ecosystem, particularly the human resources (HR) of Village/Urban Village Cooperatives (Kopdes) Merah Putih.

The partnership was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono and CDF Executive Director Benoit Andre in Jakarta on Thursday.

In a written statement, Ferry said the partnership is important because Canada is consistently ranked among the Top 300 World Cooperative Monitor. Several active cooperatives in Canada, he noted, demonstrate strong resilience and performance in sectors ranging from production and distribution to retail.

He added that CDF Canada was selected as a strategic partner due to its track record in supporting cooperative development in various countries.

“The successful experiences of several cooperatives in Canada are certainly expected to serve as lessons and developments for cooperatives in Indonesia, particularly for the operational activities of Merah Putih Village/Urban Village Cooperatives,” Ferry stated.

He outlined that the main focus of this collaboration is the development of HR capacity for cooperatives in Indonesia, as well as the enhancement of competencies and HR among small and medium-sized enterprises that supply cooperatives.

Additionally, the partnership encompasses strengthening HR capacity in Kopdes Merah Putih to enable them to transform into an integrated production force.

According to Ferry, Canada has always been an important reference in international cooperative development.

Cooperatives in Canada, he continued, are able to build an integrated ecosystem from upstream to downstream, thereby supporting the country’s economy.

CDF Executive Director Benoit Andre stated that this partnership will drive economic progress for both countries, particularly through the cooperative movement.

Andre noted that CDF of Canada, which has been established for more than 75 years, is one of the entities focused on supporting the strengthening and development of cooperatives.

“We are ready to provide support through the competencies we possess and are prepared to help achieve cooperative success. This is a very good initial step,” he said.