Prabowo: The Concept of 'Kopdes Merah Putih' Has Been on My Mind for Decades

President Prabowo Subianto has revealed that the concept for the ‘Kopdes Merah Putih’ (Red and White Village Cooperative) has been on his mind for decades. Speaking at the peak of the 79th National Cooperative Day commemoration at the Indonesia Arena, Gelora Bung Karno (GBK), on Sunday, 12 July 2026, he stated that the idea first emerged during his time as a TNI soldier stationed in various rural areas.

“The concept of the Kopdes Merah Putih has been in my mind for a long time, for decades,” Prabowo said. He recounted being deployed for months at a time in villages and mountainous regions, where he witnessed communities living in poverty and even starvation. “I saw people starving there, I saw people dying of hunger, and I could do nothing because my food supply was limited to my company (of troops),” he explained.

From these experiences, Prabowo became convinced that Indonesia’s development must begin with strengthening villages. While the country continues to move towards industrialisation, he stressed that the government must ensure that the lowest strata of society receive protection and access to economic activities. He identified cooperatives as the most appropriate instrument to strengthen village economies, though he admitted that past efforts to build them progressed slowly due to limited authority and access to capital.

Since taking office, his administration has prioritised strengthening the agricultural sector by accelerating food self-sufficiency, lowering fertiliser prices, and increasing the purchase price of unhusked rice to boost farmers’ incomes. Despite these measures, Prabowo acknowledged receiving reports that many farmers continue to face economic hardship, as they are trapped in high-interest debt to loan sharks to cover living expenses during the planting season.