Farmers' perceptions and interest regarding membership in Merah Putih Village cooperative in Sempajaya Village
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59651/cceria.v20i3.456Keywords:
Farmers' perceptions, Membership interest, Merah Putih Village Cooperative, SEM-PLSAbstract
The Merah Putih Village Cooperative is a strategic government program aimed at strengthening the rural economy through the development of cooperative-based economic institutions. The cooperative's success relies heavily on community participation, particularly from farmers, who are the primary actors in the agricultural sector. Low farmer membership rates in Sempajaya Village, Karo Regency, highlight the need to examine farmers' perceptions of and interest in cooperative membership. This study aims to analyze farmers' perceptions of the Merah Putih Village Cooperative, identify their level of interest in becoming members, and analyze the influence of perception on membership interest. This study employs a quantitative approach using a survey method. Primary data were collected via questionnaires distributed to horticultural farmers in Sempajaya Village, while secondary data were obtained from cooperative records, village government documents, and relevant literature. Descriptive analysis was used to characterize respondents and describe farmers' perceptions and interests, while the relationships between variables were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The results indicate that the majority of farmers are of productive age, possess a secondary education, and have over 10 years of farming experience. Farmers' perceptions of the Merah Putih Village Cooperative are generally positive, with economic benefits rated as the highest-scoring aspect. Interest in cooperative membership is also high, with 79% of respondents falling into the "high" or "very high" categories. SEM-PLS analysis reveals that perception has a positive effect on membership interest, with a path coefficient of 0.72, indicating a strong relationship between the two variables. The study concludes that farmers' perceptions are a crucial factor influencing their interest in joining the Merah Putih Village Cooperative. Therefore, efforts to enhance economic benefits, management transparency, service accessibility, and service quality must be sustained to boost farmer participation and strengthen the cooperative's sustainability as a rural economic institution.
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