Agriculture and Cooperatives Key to Indonesia's Economic Independence, Seminar Finds

The revitalization of agricultural sectors and cooperatives is essential for fostering national economic independence, a key takeaway from a national seminar on the leadership of former Indonesian President Soeharto. The seminar, held at Universitas Trilogi in Jakarta, emphasized that Indonesia's past successes, particularly its achievement of food self-sufficiency in 1984 and the pivotal role of Village Unit Cooperatives (KUD), provide valuable lessons for navigating contemporary economic hurdles.

Fadli Zon, Indonesia's Minister of Culture, noted that many policies from Soeharto's era remain relevant for national development. He specifically pointed to agricultural policies, recalling Indonesia's transformation from a food-importing nation to self-sufficient in 1984. "That was an extraordinary achievement," Fadli Zon stated, attributing this success to the "Green Revolution" program, which modernized farming practices and significantly boosted food production, especially rice.

During the same period, the government actively promoted KUDs as a crucial mechanism for strengthening the agricultural economy. "And at that time, Pak Harto mobilized KUDs with a focus on agriculture. Even in Pak Harto's era, industrialization and investment began to move in Indonesia," he added. Fadli Zon drew parallels between the historical KUD concept and the current development of Koperasi Desa Merah Putih (KDMP), noting that KDMP aims to stimulate village economies by providing farmers, fishermen, and small traders with better market access and fairer prices for their products.

He further cited Japan's JA Zen-Noh cooperative model as another example of a strong system supporting agriculture and rural economies. Fadli Zon also touched upon Soeharto's significant contributions to Indonesia's international relations during his presidency, including active participation in ASEAN, APEC, and the Non-Aligned Movement, where he was recognized as a mediator in regional conflicts. Meanwhile, Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu'ti highlighted Soeharto's impact on expanding access to primary education, crediting the SD Inpres program for reducing illiteracy rates across the country.