Menghidupkan Kembali Semangat Koperasi: Transformasi Kebijakan Untuk Mengatasi Kemiskinan Struktural

Poverty remains a strategic national issue that requires a multi-sectoral approach and integrated policy interventions. Although the national poverty rate has shown a declining trend, disparities between urban and rural areas remain relatively high. Recent data indicate that the poverty rate in rural areas reaches 11.03%, significantly higher than the 6.73% recorded in urban areas. This condition underscores the need for effective and sustainable economic empowerment instruments, particularly in rural regions. Cooperatives, as a pillar of the people-centered economy, have long been expected to serve as a driving force for poverty alleviation through improved access to capital, enhanced business capacity, and the development of community-based economic initiatives. However, their contribution to poverty reduction has not yet been optimal. This study aims to map the root causes underlying the limited effectiveness of cooperatives as an instrument for poverty alleviation. The research employs a qualitative comparative analysis method by examining various policy alternatives and cooperative strengthening models that have been implemented. The findings reveal several key factors, notably that a sectoral bureaucratic design has placed cooperatives and poverty reduction within separate policy domains. As a result, cooperatives have not been systematically integrated as economic empowerment instruments within poverty alleviation policies. Based on these findings, the study recommends optimizing policy integration to position cooperatives more strategically within poverty reduction frameworks as the most viable solution to current challenges.