A Major Breakthrough! The Merah Putih Cooperative Gets a Marketing “Boost” to Capture the Market

Efforts to enhance village economic self-reliance have once again received tangible support. A team of faculty members from the Agribusiness Study Program at the Faculty of Agriculture, Sriwijaya University (Unsri), visited Tanjung Baru Village in Ogan Ilir to provide marketing guidance to the management of the Merah Putih Village Cooperative.

This activity is part of the Community Service (PKM) program, which aims to strengthen the cooperative’s ability to market the village’s flagship products in a more innovative and targeted manner. 

Although Tanjung Baru served as the main venue, the event was also attended by board members of the Merah Putih Cooperatives from 37 other villages and urban neighborhoods. Enthusiasm was evident in the participation of the cooperative chairs, secretaries, and treasurers, who are currently undergoing training from the Ogan Ilir Department of Industry, Trade, Cooperatives, and SMEs. 

The Chair of the PKM Implementation Team, Dr. Erni Purbiyanti, S.P., M.Si., stated that this training aligns with the government’s strategic policy to strengthen the village economy.

According to her, village cooperatives must be able to adapt to technological developments and market dynamics so that the village’s flagship products can compete and provide greater economic benefits to the community. 

“This is our way of supporting the ‘Merah Putih’ Village Cooperative development program while strengthening the capacity of cooperative leaders so they can identify market opportunities and develop competitive products,” said Erni.

She added that cooperative managers need to understand STP-based marketing strategies (Segmenting, Targeting, Positioning) as well as marketing steps ranging from product identification and defining unique selling points to branding and marketing mix analysis. 

It is hoped that this training material will help village cooperatives navigate increasingly fierce competition.

By implementing the right marketing strategies, cooperatives can expand their market reach, increase sales, and directly improve members’ well-being. 

Syukur, Chairman of the Merah Putih Tanjung Baru Cooperative, welcomed this initiative. He noted that the training serves as a practical guide for the board in developing product marketing strategies. “The insights provided are exactly what we need. This guides us to market our products in a more innovative way that aligns with consumer needs,” he said. 

The training was attended by board members from several other villages, including Palemraya, Parit, Indralaya Indah, Tanjung Pering, Permata Baru, Tanjung Dayang Utara, Sakatiga Seberang, Sukaraja Baru, Sungai Rambutan, Ulak Segelung, Soak Batok, Pulau Kabal, Meranjat Ilir, and Meranjat II. Their presence demonstrated great enthusiasm for strengthening the role of cooperatives as pillars of the village economy. 

This program also reflects Unsri’s commitment to putting the principle of “Knowledge as a Tool for Service” into practice. In addition to the training, the PKM team plans to provide ongoing guidance to ensure that the marketing strategies that have been developed are fully implemented and have a tangible impact on the Merah Putih Tanjung Baru Cooperative and the other participating villages.