RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has set a target for more than 35,000 Red and White Village/Subdistrict Cooperatives to be operational. As said by Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifli Hasan, the government will assist these cooperatives for the next two years before their management is handed over to the respective villages and subdistricts.

"We estimate that by this September, as Mr. (President) mentioned, about 25,000 (cooperatives) will be operational. By the end of the year, all 35,862 cooperatives are expected to be completed," Zulkifli said following a meeting in Jakarta on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

"There will be two years of improvements (and) refinements, and after those two years, they will be handed over to the villages, because these cooperatives belong to the villages," he continued.

During the meeting, Prabowo also instructed all ministries and state institutions to fully support the development of these cooperatives and provide ongoing assistance. These include involvement from the nation's military and police.

"The TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) and the Polri (Indonesian National Police) have been asked to support... What kind of support? It could take many forms," Zulkifli said.

The Red and White Village and Subdistrict Cooperative is one of President Prabowo's flagship programs aimed at boosting local economies and improving rural welfare through integrated multipurpose cooperatives. The cooperatives operate a range of businesses, including retail stores, pharmacies, savings and loan units, and distribution points for subsidized goods.

The Indonesian Presidential Secretariat said that strengthening the Red and White Cooperatives is part of the government's broader strategy to build a stronger people-centered economic ecosystem. President Prabowo wants the cooperatives not only to channel government programs, but also to become centers of local economic activity, capable of expanding business opportunities, strengthening community economic resilience, and delivering more equitable prosperity for all Indonesians.