Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has appointed Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, as Chair of the Red and White Cooperative Task Force—a key initiative aimed at strengthening the village economy.
According to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, the task force was established during a limited cabinet meeting held on Monday (June 23) in Hambalang, Bogor District, focused on accelerating the development of the Red and White Cooperative.
"The fourth limited meeting chaired by President Prabowo Subianto discussed efforts to fast-track the Red and White Cooperative's development, with the goal of boosting the rural economy and streamlining the supply chain for essential goods," Wijaya said in a statement on Monday.
Also attending the meeting were Minister Hasan and several relevant ministers, including Minister of Cooperatives Budi Arie Setiadi.
Wijaya noted that the cooperative is expected to shorten distribution channels between producers and consumers while serving as a primary distributor for basic necessities.
"It will also play a vital role in distributing various public needs, such as fertilizer, LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), and other government assistance," he added.
The task force will be responsible for ensuring the program runs effectively and cohesively across all regions.
In a separate statement, Minister Setiadi announced that 80,133 Red and White Village Cooperatives have been officially established across Indonesia.
The cooperative program is structured in three stages: formation, construction and operation, and monitoring and evaluation. Setiadi noted that the first stage has been completed as planned, and preparations are underway for the second phase.
The limited meeting was also attended by Minister of Villages Yandri Susanto, Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggono, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani, Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, Minister of Communication and Digital Meutya Hafid, along with representatives from Agrinas and Pertamina.
