Jayapura – The Papua Provincial Government (Pemprov) targets the acceleration of the development and expansion of the Merah Putih Cooperative Outlet (KMP) throughout the Papua region as part of the effort to encourage the economic growth of the village community. This program is one of the national priorities initiated by President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto to strengthen the people’s economy from the lowest level.
Governor of Papua, Matthew D. Fakhiri, said that the acceleration of the development of the Merah Putih Cooperative is a strategic step in building the economic independence of the village community in a sustainable manner.
“Red and White Cooperative is here to accelerate the economic improvement of the village community. This cooperative booth will be equipped with clinics, multipurpose stores, and warehouses as distribution and service centers for the community,” said Governor Fakhiri in his official statement, Saturday (2/7/2026).
He explained, the existence of cooperatives in the village is expected to be able to build an integrated economic chain, starting from production to distribution. Farmers can sell agricultural products directly to cooperatives, which are then distributed to Bulog, thus providing market certainty and more stable prices.
In addition, the village community can also meet their daily basic needs through cooperative outlets located in their own area, without having to travel a long distance to the city center.
Governor Fakhiri emphasized, the Papua Provincial Government also ensured the readiness of the land for the construction of the Merah Putih Cooperative outlet so as not to cause problems in the future. This is an important concern considering that Papua has as many as 999 villages that are the target of cooperative development.
“From the 999 villages in Papua Province, currently there are only about 10 Red and White Cooperative outlets spread across Jayapura City, Jayapura Regency, and Keerom Regency. This is certainly still very limited and needs to be accelerated,” he said.
Through the acceleration of the development of the Merah Putih Cooperative, the Papua Provincial Government is optimistic that the village economy can grow stronger, the welfare of the community will increase, and the dependence on supplies from outside the region can be suppressed. This program is also expected to be the driving force of inclusive and just economic development in Papua.
