Kampong Tanjung Gusta Medan Cooperative, a Solution to Fulfilling Shared Needs

During the colonial period, the lands of the Penunggu Indigenous People were leased by the colonial government for the benefit of Dutch plantation companies such as Deli Maatschappij, Tabak Maatschappij, and others. For this use, the Penunggu People obtained the Right of Access from the Dutch Government, compensation in the form of money, scholarships, and also the right to cultivate on land formerly used for tobacco plantations. During the Indonesian Independence Revolution, through the nationalization movement of foreign companies, the Penunggu People's lands leased to build Dutch companies were seized by the state. For decades, the Penunggu People fought for their customary land, until now only 35 hectares of land have been occupied and managed again. Even then, they still have to face intimidation and threats from security forces to this day. Even in 2015, Kampong Tanjung Gusta was included in the elite housing development plan in the Deli Megapolitan project.

During this struggle, another problem emerged: meeting food needs. Many Penunggu people fell into poverty and starvation because they couldn't afford the increasingly high prices of basic necessities. The rising prices of basic goods were disproportionate to the incomes of the Penunggu people, the majority of whom were farmers.

That is the basis for the initiative to establish the BPRPI Kampong Tanjung Gusta Producer Cooperative. A product storage space has been constructed, with completion scheduled for April 2025. The established work team has also been equipped with an understanding of cooperative management. For procurement, the BPRPI Kampong Tanjung Gusta Producer Cooperative Work Team purchases goods from BPRPI member villages with rice fields or collaborates with factories around Medan and Deli. Within a month, the Producer Cooperative is able to distribute 4 tons of rice, 1.200 liters of cooking oil, and 4 tons of sugar. With this distribution breakdown, the BPRPI Kampong Tanjung Gusta Producer Cooperative holds an economic potential of Rp1.896.000.000 per year. This collective effort has proven to be the center of the Rakyat Penunggu's economy, including meeting their basic needs. This program has had a social impact of 32.342 people, consisting of 12.087 men, 12.170 women, and 8.085 young people.