09fau-5292 Enhancing the Organizational and Technical Capacity of the FAA and its member FOs
| budget |
€ 309.093,66 |
status |
execution |
| start date |
01-01-2009 |
date end |
31-12-2010 |
| location |
|
country |
armenia |
| financer |
Agriterra |
| executor |
Federation of Agricultural Associations- Union of Legal Entities |
intervention level |
sub-national |
| Programmes |
| IFAP 03: Enhance capacity of farmers' organisations | work area 03: Internal organisational strengthening (OS) | |
| description |
FAA-ULE was established in 2001. Till now, surprisingly the farmers are mistakenly mixing the agricultural coops with kolkhoz and sovkhoz system, which applies that there is a mentality issue and lack of understanding of the general cooperative principles. Following to the early stage cooperative movement, a group of newly established (...more...) |
| description |
FAA-ULE was established in 2001. Till now, surprisingly the farmers are mistakenly mixing the agricultural coops with kolkhoz and sovkhoz system, which applies that there is a mentality issue and lack of understanding of the general cooperative principles. Following to the early stage cooperative movement, a group of newly established agricultural associations decided to create their umbrella organization which later would assist them to solve their common legal, managerial, technical, financial and social problems: the Federation of Agricultural Associations (FAA) was established in 2001 and currently is functioning as an umbrella organization of 18 Farmers’ Organisations (FOs) covering more than 1,000 farmers. The farmers’ organisation represents the Federation at local or regional level.
The main activities of FAA are:
1) to represent the interests of its members and to protect their rights when dealing with other organizations including judicial bodies and government organisations,
2) to provide training and consulting sessions for its member organisations and their farmers,
3) to establish centralized systems of data collection and analyses, consulting, and provision of legal services,
4) financing and investment services, supply of inputs and equipment for agricultural production, and product marketing,
5) to contribute to the development and utilisation of new technologies and innovations in agriculture.
FAA-ULE is a member of IFAP since 2006.
Collaboration with Agriterra started in 2008, after FFA-ULE had applied for support to IFAP-DCC and a prospection mission had been carried out by a LTO-consultant. (...less...) |
| results & observations |
The objective of the support of Agriterra for FAA-ULE is to enhance the organizational and technical capacities of the FAA and its Member Farmer Organization's. The 2009 project aimed to develop FAA towards becoming a more viable and sustainable organization through enhancing the organizational and technical capacity of FAA and (...more...) |
| final results & observations |
The objective of the support of Agriterra for FAA-ULE is to enhance the organizational and technical capacities of the FAA and its Member Farmer Organization's. The 2009 project aimed to develop FAA towards becoming a more viable and sustainable organization through enhancing the organizational and technical capacity of FAA and its member farmers’ organizations in terms of:
1. Organizational strengthening of existing member FOs as well as entering new regions for widening FAA’s operations via establishing new agricultural associations,
2. Improving the service delivery capacity of the Training, Research and Consulting Department of the FAA,
3. Developing lobbing and advocacy skills both at FAA and local Farmer Organisation level, and
4. Creating a motivating and comfortable environment for woman farmers to participate actively in farmer organizations, and stressing attention for gender issues and equal participation in newly established FOs.
Below a summary of some of obtained results in 2009:
• Member FO accountants are equipped with accounting software and financial management techniques which will enhance their capacity for effective financial management.
• The FAA member farmers are now more informed in effective cooperative management than before, and they can now apply more effective cooperative management practices and make decisions than previous experiences in the sphere of cooperative management.
• New cooperatives are established and ongoing consultancy is given them in fields of accounting and legal legislation for making easier the FAA joining procedures.
• The soil testing laboratory is equipped and furnished. The laboratory manager is trained and provided with the ongoing consulting services.
• The FAA member farmers are receiving “AgrInfo” and local agricultural newspaper “Agrolratu”, which will contribute to staying informed about latest news and innovations in agricultural sphere.
• The FAA staff participated in training course on conducting effective lobbying actions, which will enhance their capacity for implementation of different lobbying actions, in terms of bringing different stakeholders to the same platform for joint actions.
• Specific conclusions regarding women and gender oriented activities.
• Gender oriented activities must go on and trainings continued as their interest is increasing to participate in such activities. Member women farmers are now very happy to see that the FAA Women Committee has created a newsletter especially for Women Farmers and that the World Rural Women Day was celebrated in Armenia on October 15.
• The number of women members in FOs has increased by 80%, which is currently equal to 180.
The project , which is part of the strategic plan 2007-2011, is still satisfactory. Some of the recommendations Agriterra has for FAA-ULE in 2010 are to focus more on core activities and to try to increase their member base in order to play a more important role in lobby and advocacy processes.
(...less...) |
| specialisms |
| Cooperative Development & Marketing Strategies | Gender | Increasing the support base | Institutional development | Internal organisational strengthening | |
PROPOSAL
| Agri-agency | Own contribution executor | Other parties | Total requested budget |
|---|
| Agriterra | FAA-ULE | | |
| € 0,00 + € 0,00 | € 0,00 | € 0,00 | € 261.500,00 |
FAA-ULE is an umbrella organization of 18 farmers’ organizations in Armenia (emerging economy or state in transition). FFA aims to extend its membership base and to enhance its own capacity and that of its members. Faced with this task FAA is confronted with external and internal obstacles. External obstacles are related to government policies (economic, agricultural, rural, fiscal, etc) and the legal framework. Government policies do not facilitate the development of farmers and their organizations. In order to overcome this external obstacles FAA wants to improve its representation and lobby capacities.
Internal obstacles are related to weak internal management skills, lack of entrepreneurial skills among member associations, lack of specialization in managing agricultural divisions, lack of market orientation etc. There is also a lack of understanding of modern co-operative principles because farmers tend to confound co-operatives with the former kolkhoz and sovkhoz system. FAA-ULE also makes mention of the necessity to empower women.
FAA-ULE proposes seven goals for its FFP-project:
1. To contribute to overall cooperative development by establishing new co-operatives in new regions
2. To strengthen organizational, technical and managerial capacities of its member organizations
3. Develop the training, research and consultancy department
4. To strengthen lobbying and advocacy skills of FAA
5. Enhancing public relations and communication activities
6. Empower women farmers and recruit more women members
7. Establishing partnerships with local and international expert organizations
More specific objectives and actions are:
1. To enhance knowledge of co-operative principles and practice through trainings among members FO’s
2. To expand membership by establishing new FO’s in new regions (recruitment drive; meetings with steering committees; trainings etc..)
3. Continue the improvement of administrative capacities by further professionalization of staff and board (salary contribution required of Agriterra)
4. Develop TRC in a viable business unit: TRC specialized in sector based feasibility studies, business planning, project management, trainings etc.
5. Empower women farmers by developing women initiative groups within FO’s and strengthening of role of women in decision making
6. Continue and improve publication of AgrInfo FAA newsletter
7. Strengthen lobby and advocacy skills: more skills and expertise needed especially in the field of legislation and law review.
FAA-ULE is a newly created young PO with as yet limited resources and sources of income. Sustainability efforts should focus on membership contributions, development of TRC as a viable business unit and diversification of donors.
The budget for two years is 234.304 € the own contribution of FAA-ULE is 25.104 € (10%) This is sufficient, however FAA-ULE should be requested to be more specific about its own contribution.
The contribution of Agriterra for two years should be 261.500 €
(1.25*209.200€) |
GOALS
1.Contribute to the overall cooperative development movement in Armenia by establishing new cooperatives in the regions where FAA is not active yet.
2.Strengthening organizational, technical and managerial capacity of the FAA and its member farmers’ organizations to participate better in the agrifood sector of Armenia.
3.Develop the FAA TRC department as a professional business unit for training and consulting service delivery.
4.Strengthening the lobbying and advocacy skills of FAA to better voice the interests of Armenian farmers at national and international levels.
5.Enhancing PR and Communication activities of the FAA.
6.Empower woman farmers and recruit more woman members in the local FOs.
7.Establishing solid partnerships with local and international expert organizations with the help of donors for growing more efficiently and effectively. |
