Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Ministry of Cooperatives noted that the government is preparing the integration of dairy cooperatives into the supply chain of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program.Koko Haryono, Public Policy Expert Staff to the Minister of Cooperatives, stated that the ministry is overseeing the drafting of a presidential regulation on the operations of the Red and White Village Cooperatives. The regulation aims to directly connect dairy cooperatives to the MBG ecosystem.”We want to ensure that the pasteurized milk consumed by children is produced directly by local smallholder farmers through cooperatives,” he said during the launch of the dairy cooperative strengthening initiative at the Suka Makmur Farmers Cooperative in Pasuruan District, East Java, on Thursday.To support this goal, he stated that the government will promote the modernization of dairy cooperative infrastructure, ranging from pasteurization machinery to cold chain system enhancements, to ensure a sustainable supply of high-quality fresh milk.Speaking at the same event, Pasuruan Deputy District Head M. Shobih Asrori highlighted Pasuruan District’s vast potential as a major dairy production hub.However, he said, dairy cooperatives must transform from merely acting as off-takers of farmers' produce into key pillars of national nutritional sovereignty by supporting the free meal program.Shobih also emphasized the importance of education and technical knowledge for farmers to ensure Pasuruan's milk productivity remains optimal and meets industry standards.Chair of the Suka Makmur Farmers Cooperative Evi Zainal Abidin noted that East Java remains the leading contributor to Indonesia's milk production, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the total.She also expressed hope that the government would soon issue a presidential instruction on the dairy industry to strengthen protections and empowerment for local smallholder dairy farmers amid free trade competition.By strengthening dairy cooperatives, she said, the role of cooperatives as pasteurized milk suppliers to Nutritional Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) or MBG kitchens can be increased.