VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is supporting the development and strengthening of cooperatives for the empowerment of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through the provision of research-based policy recommendations.

"BRIN wants to offer suggestions to boost the development of cooperatives and MSMEs, which becomes a key strategy in national development, to place the foundation for the development of people's economy that is just and sustainable," deputy for development policies at BRIN, Mego Pinandito, said in a written statement received on Wednesday.

BRIN also considered the importance of the existence of cooperatives and MSMEs as a manifestation of the people's economy, he noted. Cooperatives and MSMEs are expected to become motors for accelerating national development.

"The people's economy must continue to be explored. The manifestation of the people's economy, namely the involvement and role of the community, is very significant," he said.

Pinandito affirmed that his agency, through its research results and various appropriate technologies, is making efforts to produce products that can be utilized by cooperatives and MSMEs.

"BRIN wants to seek the best policy recommendations, for example, for the central government to build collective awareness of the essential role of cooperatives and MSMEs. It is hoped that cooperatives and MSMEs will become a 'locomotive' in the acceleration of national development," he said.

Cooperatives are expected to boost MSMEs’ ability to improve by becoming the providers of business capital for MSMEs in a bid to support the people's economy.

"Cooperatives are also the pillar for the people's economy and the backbone of Indonesia's economy," he remarked.

According to data from the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises, in 2020, Indonesia had 127,846 cooperatives with a total of 27.1 million members and total assets of Rp250.98 trillion. (Antaranews)