Kemenkop UKM Asks Perpetrators Of Consistent Cooperatives To Implement Sustainable Economic Principles

Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs Arif Rahman Hakim (doc. Kemenkop UKM).

JAKARTA - Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs (Sesmenkop UKM), Arif Rahman Hakim, asked cooperative actors, including the management of the Bumi Sejahtera Relica Cooperative in Bumiayu, Central Java, to consistently carry out productive social and environmental-based economic activities.

Arif assessed that productive economic activities in Central Java can continue to be carried out while still paying attention to aspects of nature and maintaining business legality.

"The beauty of Bumiayu's nature, if it is not managed properly, we can lose money. What is our concern is that the problem of forest environmental sustainability, including the reduced vegetation in addition to the increasing amount of waste. This is very good if Relica has attention in that direction," said Arif in his written statement, Saturday, June 22, 2024.

Meanwhile, Arif representing the Kemenkop UKM submitted evidence of a legal entity to the Environmental and Disaster Volunteer Cooperative (Relica) Bumi Sejahtera which was one of the assisted cooperatives of WWF Indonesia on June 22, 2024.

According to him, Bumiayu has environmental or natural-based economic potential that can continue to be developed by the Relica Cooperative.

In addition to the problem of waste management and environmental conservation, Arif also encourages the Relica Cooperative to start moving to optimize natural tourism, which has great potential in Bumiayu.

This is one of the good opportunities for the Relica Cooperative to encourage the welfare of members and the surrounding community.

"In the future, Bumiayu, there are many tourist villages that we can develop so that more tourists come and spend their money here. Thus, people's per capita income in Bumiayu increases," he said.

He emphasized that the issuance of a cooperative legal entity is not the end of a process. However, it is the beginning of a major step in efforts to develop cooperatives.

According to him, the legal entity of the Relica Cooperative is a follow-up to the results of collaboration and cooperation carried out by the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs and WWF Indonesia.

In addition to handing over the legal entity, a motorcycle carrying garbage from PT Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM) was also handed over.

It is hoped that with the assistance of these facilities, it can encourage increased productivity of the Bumi Sejahtera Relica Cooperative in carrying out waste management activities in Bumiayu.

"Hopefully after getting this legal entity and motorcycle of garbage, the Relica Cooperative can progress further," he said.

Arif further revealed that the Kemenkop UKM in the future is ready to provide ongoing support and facilitation to support the development of the Prosperous Earth Relica Cooperative.

He hopes that the business activities of the Relica Cooperative, which focus on waste, environmental and social management, can be an example for cooperatives in other regions.

"Of course in the future we will continue to support to explore the potential that can be developed in Bumiayu. So, we will not just let go (our support)," he said.

On the same occasion, the head of PT PNM Purwokerto Branch, Rohmat Agus Pranoto, added that the support for motorcycles transporting garbage provided to the Prosperous Earth Relica Cooperative was part of the company's Social and Environmental Responsibility (TJSL) program.

Rahmat said that in the future his party is ready to continue facilitation in the form of training on improving soft skills or hard skills to members of the Relica Bumi Sejahtera Cooperative which has been running, especially related to waste management.

"We have trained waste management. We know that so far waste has been a problem, but now it is open that waste can bring in money and can be used as a more useful product, whether it is handicraft or fertilizer and others that can be sold for money," he said.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Prosperous Earth Relica Cooperative, Alvin Kristian, was grateful and grateful to the Kemenkop UKM, WWF Indonesia, and PT PNM for providing a lot of convenience and support in obtaining cooperative legal entities.

This is a trigger for cooperative members to be more serious in carrying out social activities in conjunction with businesses that can be carried out in cooperatives.

"At least this is an illustration of how serious we have been in managing the environment and society. With this legal entity and assistance (motorcycle transporting garbage), we will be even more active going forward," he said.

There are several business activities of the Prosperous Earth Cooperative that are currently running, namely organic and inorganic waste management, production of virgin coconut oil (VCO), cultivation, and other community social activities.

Alvin believes that the legal entity and infrastructure assistance can be optimized for the sake of mutual welfare.

"So far, we have not thought about improving the welfare of members. However, after we communicated with the Kemenkop UKM, we just thought about making members prosperous in a round way through cooperatives. With us prosperous, we will be able to help the community more," he added.