Success of KDKMP Should Be Measured by Benefits Received by Members

The success of the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives (KDKMP) should not be measured by the number of cooperatives formed, but by the tangible benefits or member value received by their members, according to Sugiyanto, a professor at Ikopin University. Speaking during a webinar held by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) in Jakarta on Tuesday, Sugiyanto stated that this benefit is reflected in the ease with which rural communities can obtain needed goods at more attractive prices, with better quality and according to their needs. “What is important is that the members, namely the rural communities, are prosperous. They can easily find the goods they need at more attractive prices, with better quality, and according to their needs,” he said. Sugiyanto further assessed that the KDKMP programme has great potential to strengthen the village economy. However, he noted that its success depends heavily on the consistency of all parties in implementing the programme to deliver real benefits to its members. In line with this, the government continues to encourage the public to become members of the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives to experience the economic benefits offered. The government is also inviting recipients of social assistance (bansos) to join the cooperatives. Additionally, the government has designated KDKMP as one of the channels for distributing social assistance and various subsidised goods, as well as a buyer of farmers’ harvests, particularly unhusked rice, rice, and corn. Through this role, KDKMP is expected to become a government infrastructure for channelling various programmes to the community while absorbing harvests when commodity prices fall below the government’s set price. Based on data from the Village Cooperative Management Information System (Simkopdes) accessed on 21 July 2026, a total of 83,381 KDKMP have obtained legal entity status with approximately 2.5 million activated members. In its implementation, not all KDKMP yet have physical facilities such as outlets, warehouses, and other supporting infrastructure built by PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara. Of the 35,857 verified land plots for outlet construction, 18,253 sites are still under development, while 17,133 sites have reached 100 percent completion. Meanwhile, the total transaction value recorded through KDKMP has reached Rp62.09 billion throughout 2026.