Badanas Boss Calls The Red And White Kopdes Dongkrak Village Welfare

Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi said the Red and White Village Cooperative played an important role as a lever for the welfare of rural communities through strengthening food institutions and the people's economy.

"The Red and White Village Cooperative is believed to be able to leverage the welfare of the people in the village," said Arief as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, May 15.

He conveyed that the initiation of President Prabowo Subianto's government was a form of concrete step in improving the people's economy by focusing on village development.

One of them is building community-based food independence with a spirit of mutual cooperation, ensuring better availability and food access for the community.

"This is one of the fastest cooperative formations in Indonesia. According to President Prabowo's message, the Red and White Kopdes must be a driving force for improving the welfare of rural communities," said Arief.

He explained that the cooperative will be a forum for synergy between farmers and local food businesses in increasing productivity, distribution efficiency, and market access.

Cooperatives are designed to better manage food supply chains, from production to distribution.

Through this scheme, farmers will gain access to financing, technology, and training that can support the improvement of their agricultural products.

In addition, the Red and White Village Cooperative is also expected to play a role in maintaining the stabilization of food prices at the local level so that it does not only have an impact on producers, but also on consumers at the village level.

"What is the potential in this village is what we both encourage to develop, so that the economy moves in this village, doesn't go anywhere, and the village community feels the assistance itself," said Arief.

Pataruman Village is one of the villages that has formed the Red and White Village Cooperative today. The village not only has economic potential in agriculture, but also potential in the fields of ecotourism, trade, services, and circular economy through waste bank management.

West Bandung Regent Jeje Juli Ismail assessed that the establishment of the Red and White Village Cooperative was a strategic step in strengthening the local economy and the principles of the people's economy.

He hopes that the Red and White Kopdes will be a solution to various economic challenges of the village community, such as limited access to capital and employment opportunities.

"This is in line with our vision, which is to increase productivity and create an inclusive economy. We want to create a developed village and a prosperous society," said Jeje.

He also revealed that as a follow-up to Presidential Instruction No. 9 of 2025 concerning the Acceleration of the Establishment of the Red and White Village Cooperative, West Bandung Regency is moving quickly to form a Village Cooperative.

"Of the 165 existing villages, currently 67 villages have carried out village deliberations in the context of establishing the Red and White Village Cooperative, and we are targeting the entire village to be completed by the end of this month," said Jeje.