07ica-4933 Promotion of sustainable model of agricultural coops in Cambodia, Laos PDR and Afghanistan
| budget |
€ 686.588,92 |
status |
execution |
| start date |
01-01-2007 |
date end |
31-12-2010 |
| location |
|
country |
india |
| financer |
Agriterra |
| executor |
International Cooperative Alliance |
intervention level |
regional |
| Programmes |
| IFAP 03: Enhance capacity of farmers' organisations | work area 03: Internal organisational strengthening (OS) | |
| description |
The project purposes are:
1. To consolidate the gains of earlier project interventions in Cambodia, Laos PDR.
2. To further continue appropriate project interventions aimed at market connectivity in Cambodia and Laos PDR to facilitate a process of creation and promotion of a self sustainable model of agricultural cooperatives in these (...more...) |
| description |
The project purposes are:
1. To consolidate the gains of earlier project interventions in Cambodia, Laos PDR.
2. To further continue appropriate project interventions aimed at market connectivity in Cambodia and Laos PDR to facilitate a process of creation and promotion of a self sustainable model of agricultural cooperatives in these countries.
3. To replicate the project approach and strategy in Afghanistan agricultural cooperatives.
The expected results are:
A. Cambodia
1. Value addition through agri-processing and marketing in target coops achieved
2. Internal credit/microfinance in target women coops introduced
3. Cooperative union at secondary and tertiary level for networking established.
4. Two new agricultural cooperatives for project interventions in the areas of business development planning, resource mobilization, improved agricultural activity, financial management, improved working systems introduced.
5. Comprehensive cooperative law found in place in the Decree on cooperatives
6. Policy to finance agricultural cooperatives by Agriculture Bank formulated.
7. Self-help groups of the poor men & women organised
8. Micro-finance and internal credit in target women coops introduced.
9. Membership and resources of the coops increased.
B. Laos PDR
1. Decree on coops by the government enforced
2. Target groups transformed into agricultural cooperatives by adopting new be laws in accordance with Decree on coops
3. Policy to finance target groups by Agriculture Development Bank formulated
4. Project intervention regarding business development planning, improved agricultural productivity, financial management, development of infra structure, improved working methods in two newly adopted target groups introduced.
C. Afghanistan
1. An efficient Training Institute in terms of updated training programmes, trained trainers and optimum infrastructure established.
2. 5 agricultural cooperatives as model cooperatives through project interventions for business development, planning, infrastructure development, improved working methods, improved agriculture productivity, financial management developed.
3. New training programmes and their curriculum developed.
4. Board members, managers of target cooperatives and concerned government officials trained
5. Self help groups of the poor organized.
6. The government motivated and influenced for an early enforcement of cooperative law
7. Bye laws and rules of business by target coops introduced in time with new cooperative law (...less...) |
| results & observations |
This three years project in Cambodia, Laos and Afghanistan focused on creating a legal and policy environment which should enable promotion of sustainable, member-based agricultural cooperatives (cooperatives) and better circumstances for the running of an autonomous enterprise. A second important feature was the focus on gender issues; enhanced involvement (...more...) |
| final results & observations |
This three years project in Cambodia, Laos and Afghanistan focused on creating a legal and policy environment which should enable promotion of sustainable, member-based agricultural cooperatives (cooperatives) and better circumstances for the running of an autonomous enterprise. A second important feature was the focus on gender issues; enhanced involvement of women being a major concern for the target agricultural cooperatives in Cambodia and farmers’ groups in Laos PDR.
Main activities were: (1) member education programme in target cooperatives; (2) formulation of a legal framework for external audit to evaluate financial management of agricultural cooperatives with support of external consultant; (3) formulation of policy on agricultural finance by Agricultural Development Bank; (4) establishment of union/federation of agricultural cooperatives; (5) income generating activities in existing self-help groups of women; (6) formation of new self-help groups of women; (7) entrepreneurship development programme for women members of target cooperatives & women self-help groups; and (8) capacity building program for target cooperatives.
Laos: After creating an enabling environment and receiving approval of the Laos government to implement this project in 2008, the activities could finally start in 2009. In Laos PDR a project team was recruited and an office was established. All the planned activities, such as training for members, establishment of self help groups, training of women leaders, were completed. Follow up was given to finalise the decree on cooperatives (still in process).
Cambodia:The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery adopted a step by step approach in order to come to a cooperative law. As a first step, the government of Cambodia has approved pre cooperative law. In the future they will initiate formulation of comprehensive cooperative law based on the recommendations of the workshop organised in 2008 by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA)/Agriterra project with support of the Singapore National Cooperative Federation (SNCF). In the field all planned activities were implemented according to the plan.
Afghanistan: The political instability and bad security situation in Afghanistan has seriously hampered project implementation in the last three years, and no activities were implemented in 2009.
Impact of the 3 years project:
(a) At the time of initiation of the project farmers and policy makers in the Government of Laos PDR were skeptical and even averse to cooperatives due to their past experience during earlier rule. Now as a result of project interventions the cooperatives have appeared on the policy radar of Government Cooperative Law (Cooperative Decree.
(b) When the project commenced its operations in Cambodia, the agricultural cooperatives were regulated under an Administrative Decree of Agricultural Cooperatives. Now the government has agreed to work towards a comprehensive law. The number of Agricultural Cooperatives has increased. The target agricultural cooperatives covered by the project have their own building and have initiated steps to diversify their business activities and become multi-purposeful in their functioning.
(c) In both Laos and Cambodia farmers’ groups have shown interest in converting themselves into cooperatives to achieve sustainability.
(d) In both Laos and Cambodia increased awareness is reflected in the agriculture extension staff of the provinces where target groups and farmers groups are located. Better synergy between agriculture extension staff and target group cooperatives has been established.
(e) Women self help groups have been put into operation in target cooperatives of Cambodia and farmers’ groups in Laos to enhance involvement of women.
(f) In Cambodia a specific agricultural finance policy has been formulated by Agricultural Development Bank.
Opinion of the project officer:
In Laos and Cambodia project activities were implemented more or less as per plan in 2009 and at grass root level a limited number of cooperatives have been established and strengthened. ICA’s main power is however not to work at the grass root level but rather at the national level where the organisation can lobby for conducive cooperative legislation etc. It would be better to outsource grass root level activities to local service providers (either NGOs or farmers organisations) that are coached by ICA-ROAP. At national level ICA-ROAP has supported governments in reviewing and adopting their legislation for cooperatives. However, success herein lies not solely in the efforts of ICA-ROAP; many other stakeholders and supporters have been involved in this process.
I do not recommend to extent this project for the year 2010 or beyond, and suggest to work with ICA-ROAP in alternative ways where our support of project implementation does not aim at the local level.
(...less...) |
| specialisms |
| Processing of agricultural products | Training | |
PROPOSAL
| Agri-agency | Own contribution executor | Other parties | Total requested budget |
|---|
| Agriterra | ICA | | |
| € 0,00 + € 0,00 | € 0,00 | € 0,00 | € 0,00 |
ICA Asia-Pacific has received advice and financial support from Agriterra since 2002. ICA Roap has formulated a new project proposal for the periode 2007-2009. This proposal not only concerns Cambodia and Laos, but it also concerns Afghanistan.
The overal objective is to promote a sustainable model of agricultural cooperatives through appropriate and need based project interventions for poverty alleviation in the farming community
The proposal itself concerns the period 2007-2008, but the budget is worked out below only for 2007. |
GOALS
