From Field to Barn Together: STKGB Builds Cooperatives to Strengthen Agrarian Struggle

Tulang Bawang – Amidst the rapid flow of investment and the ongoing agrarian conflicts, a group of farmers from the Joint Farmers' Union (STKGB) are showing a different direction. Instead of giving in to inequality, they are building strength from the grassroots through cooperative education held on August 29-30, 2024 in Tulang Bawang, Lampung.

The activity titled Household Agricultural Cooperative Education for Economic Strengthening was initiated as a response to the inequality of land ownership structures and the weakening bargaining power of small farmers. For two full days, dozens of farmers and STKGB cadres discussed, learned, and made concrete plans to form cooperatives that were born from the real needs of the community.

In his speech, STKGB Chairman Sukirji emphasized that cooperatives are not short-term projects, but rather a foundation for building economic independence for members. Similar sentiments were conveyed by Sugianto from the Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA) Lampung region, who said that cooperatives and agrarian reform must go hand in hand. "There is no agrarian reform without cooperatives, and there are no strong cooperatives without the struggle for land," he said.

The training material was delivered in depth and down to earth. Participants were invited to examine data on agrarian conflicts in Indonesia from 2015 to 2024, which reached more than 2.700 cases. This situation is considered to be the result of state policies that tend to favor investment and leave the common people behind.

However, this activity did not only talk about problems. The participants also formulated joint solutions. On the second day, they determined the name of the cooperative to be formed—with two options: STKGB Rukun Sejahtera and STKGB Sejahtera Bersama. The type of business chosen was a basic needs marketing cooperative. Basic savings, mandatory savings, distribution of Business Surplus (SHU), and internal monitoring systems were formulated democratically.

Interestingly, participants also developed detailed risk mitigation strategies—from the risk of late deposits, logistical challenges, to financial governance. All of this is proof that the cooperative that was designed is not just a place for buying and selling, but a serious, transparent, and welfare-oriented people's economic institution.

At the end of the training, the cooperative management is determined with a three-year term. The elected administrators come from among the farmers themselves, with the hope of being able to bridge the interests and trust of the members.

More than just technical education, this activity marked a new direction in the peasant movement—changing resistance into development, and changing dependence into independence. In the hands of STKGB farmers, cooperatives were not only economic tools, but also symbols of solidarity and hope.