Limited mobility due to the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic forces people to use digital channels to meet their needs. Without exception, cooperatives also have to adapt to the digital world. 

The Al Ittifaq Islamic Boarding School Cooperative (Kopontren) is one of those that was moved to develop an online shop to market agricultural products managed under the Al Ittifaq Islamic Boarding School.

Irvan Sadikin, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Kopontren Al Ittifaq said, initially, Kopontren's digital marketing process started from social media Instagram. 

The pandemic and the call to #stayhome encouraged Al Ittifaq Kopontren located in Ciburial Village, Rancabali, Bandung Regency at the end of March to develop online sales . 

“First utilize social media, Instagram, prospective buyers must fill out Google form first,” said Irvan when met in Bandung (16/1/2021). The delivery process reaches the buyer's hands, following offline sales delivery. So far, Al Ittifaq markets agricultural products at 18 supermarkets and traditional markets in Bandung. 

Irvan admits that filling in the form is less practical. In its development, Alifmart provides orders via Whatsapp and opens stalls on e-commerce Blibli.

To strengthen online sales, Alifmart is now developing the Alifmart.online store. Irvan hopes that potential buyers will be more comfortable with the new platform because they can see product samples and order more easily. “Delivery will also be faster,” he said.

However, before marketing more widely via digital, Al Ittifaq has implemented internal digitalization, namely by setting up a planting to harvest database. That way, product availability can be maintained.

Other cooperatives have also begun to utilize digital. Daniel L. Bakkara, Coordinator and Regional Manager of West Java 6, Makmur Mandiri Savings and Loans Cooperative at the Cipacing office, Rancaekek said, the majority of interactions with the majority of members are now via Whatsapp and Facebook social media. Indeed, for farmer members in the regions, they can often only be contacted via SMS. 

Daniel explained that the Makmur Mandiri Cooperative as a whole has started to go digital, collaborating with cooperative information service providers and CUSO digital payments. Even though it is still being developed, this application, which can be downloaded on the Playstore application, will allow cooperative members to see the status of savings, loans and other cooperative facilities.

Profit the cooperative

Head of the West Java Province Cooperatives and Small Business Service, Kusmana Hartadji, appreciated the cooperative's steps in developing digitalization. According to him, there are several benefits of digitalization for cooperatives. First, to bring cooperatives closer to the market. Moreover, for real sector cooperatives, online sales can help cooperatives capture markets where activity is currently limited. 

“For real sector cooperatives, as long as the cooperative is managed innovatively and utilizes digital means, the results can be felt directly by the cooperative,” said Kusmana, who is familiarly called Tutus.

Second, digitalization can open wider access for cooperatives to find sources of funding. For example, consult on the Kabayan Consulting online service, which allows cooperatives to be connected with appropriate banking. 

Third, cooperatives can still hold exhibitions through online exhibitions. One of the online business meetings and exhibitions of the One Pesantren One Product Program (OPOP) was held in December 2020. This exhibition brings together Kopontren participants, offtakers, and business partners.

The Department of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (Diskop UKM) Bandung Regency also considers that digitalization for cooperatives is a necessity to improve services to members and to facilitate internal management.

Apart from that, it makes monitoring easier for the Bandung Regency Government. Digitalization also opens up opportunities for production or marketing cooperatives (real sector) to market their products online. .

Naturally, digitalization of cooperatives is one of the priorities of the Bandung Regency UKM Diskop. 

“Digitalization of cooperatives is an instrument for cooperatives to improve services, transparency and accountability. "So that people who are members of cooperatives can be served optimally and increase public trust," he said. said Agus Firman Zaini, Head of the Department of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises, Bandung Regency (12/1/2021). 

Meanwhile, Deputy for Supervision of the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, Ahmad Zabadi, explained that digital cooperatives can be interpreted generally as cooperatives that have used internet media in providing services to their members. 

“Cooperatives that already have website can be grouped into digital cooperatives,” said Zabadi (23/1/2021). 

However, the number is still minimal. Digital cooperatives registered in Indonesia number 906 cooperative units from various types of businesses, out of a total of 123,048 cooperatives, as of 2019. 

The Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs facilitates cooperatives go digital through idxcoop.kemenkopukm.go.id. 

Cooperatives that access this portal will be accompanied by a technology service provider (technology provider) to help them become digital cooperatives. That way, the cooperative is connected to the digital ecosystem. 

“In the last two months since the Cooperative Digital Transformation Movement was launched in November 2020, the number of cooperatives accessing the IdxCoop portal is quite significant, there are 582 cooperatives,” said Zabadi

The Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs is encouraging the formation of 100 new modern, digital-based cooperatives per year and reaching 400 units by the end of 2024 in accordance with the mandate of the 2019-2024 RPJMN. Modern cooperatives are a pillar for encouraging MSMEs, which are the key to national economic recovery. 

In his 2021 Outlook presentation at the end of December, Zabadi said that this modern cooperative will be part of an integrated supply chain from upstream to downstream involving partnerships, both with MSMEs, offtakers and banks.< /p>

Source: https://keuangan.kontan.co.id/news /pandemic-encourages-cooperatives-to-innovate-digital