JAKARTA – The Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions (Mendes PDT), Yandri Susanto, accompanied by Deputy Minister Ahmad Riza Patria, attended the National Working Conference (Rakernas) of the Association of Indonesian Village Heads (Asosiasi Kepala Desa Seluruh Indonesia / AKSI) at the Pustakaloka Building, Nusantara IV, Parliamentary Complex, Senayan, on Wednesday (September 9, 2026).

During the national conference, Minister Yandri rallied all AKSI members to drive the implementation of the 6th pillar of President Prabowo Subianto's Asta Cita agenda: building from the village and from the bottom-up for economic equality and poverty eradication.

"Under President Prabowo's administration, villages are positioned as key subjects of national development and explicitly embedded within the Asta Cita agenda. Therefore, let us unite to ensure its success," Minister Yandri stated.

Kemendes PDT operationalizes the Asta Cita vision through the "12 Actions to Build Villages, Build Indonesia" framework, encompassing priority initiatives such as Village-Owned Enterprises (BUM Desa), Thematic Villages, Tourism Villages, Export Villages, and Climate-Resilient Villages.

Currently, several key national priority initiatives are anchored at the village level, notably the Red and White Village Cooperative (Koperasi Desa Merah Putih / Kopdes Merah Putih). This program directly yields tangible benefits for rural residents, as operational assets—ranging from warehouses and retail outlets to logistics vehicles—are owned directly by the village.

Furthermore, 20 percent of net cooperative profits will be allocated to Village Original Revenue (PADes), while local village residents will receive hiring priority for Kopdes Merah Putih operational staff.

Minister Yandri urged AKSI members to maintain strong momentum in rural development despite operational challenges, noting that substantial opportunities lie ahead.

"We manage the Integrated Green Economy Self-Sufficiency and Food Security Program (Sehati), which will provide funding allocations of IDR 2.5 billion per village targeting 10,000 villages," Minister Yandri highlighted.

Additionally, Minister Yandri introduced the "Youth Building Villages, Building Indonesia" program. Under this initiative, select village youths will be dispatched to Japan for specialized training, supported by an IDR 300 million scholarship package and competitive employment opportunities.

"We have also officially launched the Gen Z Village Ambassador initiative, featuring highly attractive award incentives," Minister Yandri added.

He affirmed that Kemendes PDT stands ready to receive the official recommendations formulated during the AKSI National Conference and remains fully committed to collaborative rural development.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the DPR RI Sufmi Dasco Ahmad officially opened the 2026 AKSI National Working Conference, which convened village heads representing 28 provinces and 160 regencies/cities nationwide.

The opening ceremony was also attended by DPR RI Deputy Speakers Saan Mustopa and Sari Yuliati.

"Following the conclusion of this national conference, participants will submit formal policy recommendations to the executive government through the Minister of Villages," Sufmi Dasco stated following the opening session.

Accompanying Minister Yandri during the event were Secretary-General of Kemendes PDT Taufik Madjid, Director General of PEID Tabrani, and Special Staff M. Khoirul Huda.

Foto: Wening/Kemendes PDT 
Teks: Firman/Kemendes PDT