Zulhas: Agrinas to Mentor Red and White Village Cooperative Managers for Two Years

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan stated that during the first two years, the managers of the Red and White Village Cooperatives will be mentored by PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara to ensure a strong business foundation. He assured that the existing boards will remain involved in joint management alongside the new managers recruited nationally. “They will be managed together, but mentored by Agrinas for two years. If it’s going well within one year, it can be faster,” said Zulkifli, who is also the Head of the Red and White Village Cooperative Formation Task Force, during a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday. The statement responded to questions about the role of the previous boards after the government opened recruitment for 30,000 first-phase Red and White Village Cooperative manager positions. Those who pass the selection will work under the state-owned enterprise PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara with a fixed-term employment contract (PKWT) for two years. Zulkifli added that besides manager positions, each cooperative will require daily or monthly staff to support operations. These support staff will be prioritised from families benefiting from the Family Hope Program (PKH). “Besides managers, the cooperatives need cleaning staff, drivers, and other support services. For these positions, we prioritise families in need, especially PKH recipients,” he said. On the same occasion, Agrinas President Director Joao Angelo De Sousa Mota added that the existing Red and White Village Cooperative boards will act as supervisors, controllers, and directors for the cooperatives. “They will be involved as controllers and directors to ensure these convenience store cooperatives run according to their objectives,” he stated. Registration for the Red and White Village Cooperative manager recruitment is open from 15-24 April 2026 through the official channel phtc.panselnas.go.id. The government emphasises that there are no fees in the selection process.