REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The Red and White Village Cooperative (Kopdes) Program is considered to have great potential to strengthen the downstream processing of food commodities and horticulture at the village level. Agricultural observer from the Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) Indonesia, Eliza Mardian, said that empowering the economy of the village through the program is a strategic step to shorten the national food distribution chain.
Eliza explained, until now the distribution chain of agricultural commodities in Indonesia is still too long, so the price at the consumer level becomes high. Meanwhile, many farmers still sell their harvest in the form of dry rice, not rice, so the added value is mostly enjoyed by distributors and millers.
"It would be best if farmers joined together in farmer groups and built their own rice milling units," said the CORE researcher. "That way, they can mill rice from paddy, generate added value, and the price at the consumer level will also be more..."