MAY 2018

More documents

Recommendations

Info

GLOBAL What is the state of agri co-op sectors across the world? The executive committee of the International Co-operative Agricultural Organisation met in Turkey in April to discuss new developments in the sector. This included continued growth in India’s dairy sector, which is set to reach to Rs 9.4tn (US$145.7bn) by 2020. The country accounts for 19% of the world’s milk production. Other sectors are also growing, and the government has invested of Rs 50,000 crore (US$7.7bn) to develop permanent irrigation solutions for drought, and a mentorship programme for agri start-ups. From Malaysia, Dato’ HJ. Kamarudin Bin HJ. Ismail, vice president of ANGKASA, introduced the federation’s long-term plan. Oil palms account for 74% of the country’s agricultural crop, followed by rubber (14.63%), coconut (1.2%) and cocoa (0.22%). Agriculture is the thirdlargest export income for Malaysia, with palm oil and rubber making up 8% of the total export income. The government is considering expanding its biofuel B5 programme increasing the mix of 5% of palm methylester into petroleum diesel to 10%. In Turkey, 172 new co-ops related to agriculture were formed last year. The country is home to 13,315 agricultural co-ops with 4 million members. Agricultural sales coops are an important part of the sector, with 447 active co-ops operating in 2017. These purchase 38.8% of the oil sunflower produced in the country, 16.8% of the dry grape production, 10.5% of the mass cotton production, 9.2% of the olive production, 7.5% of the fig production and 9.2% of olive oil production is purchased. A new action plan is being drawn up to increase the sector’s visibility. From Japan, Hironori Hijioka, executive director of agri-co-op umbrella body JA-Zenchu, told how the organisation, is working to engage more with its member co-ops. Around 36.8% of the Japanese primary agricultural co-ops have placed a stronger emphasis on farm guidance, sales and purchases. The organisation will continue to focus on training employees to facilitate member enrolment, prepare materials to let members know about the role of primary agricultural co-ops, and increase door-todoor visits. Mieczysław Grodzki and Adam Piechowski of the National Cooperative Council of Poland said the number of agricultural co-ops in their country had fallen from 2,873 in 2016 to 2,814 in 2018. During past year the council has worked with parliament on a bill which would grant farmers exemption from property tax and corporate income tax. The council is also working to help reduce some of the regulatory burdens related to setting up co-operative producers’ groups as well as accessing grants from EU funds. In Brazil, agri co-ops started a campaign called “We are co-op”, to highlight the co-operative enterprise model. The national co-operative federation, OCB, also launched a Catalogue of Export Co-operatives, listing Brazilian co-ops engaged in international trade. Ivan Asiimwe, CEO of Uganda Cooperatives Alliance, presented a regional report from Ethiopia, Madagascar, Morocco, Malawi, Zambia, Uganda and Kenya. In Ethiopia the movement hosted the fifth National Co-operative Exhibition on 8-9 February, bringing together representatives from Uganda’s co-op movement in an exchange of experience. In Madagascar, the USA’s National Co-operative Business Association (NCBA CLUSA) has facilitated training for 841 vanilla farmers. Morocco and Malawi are also strengthening agricultural co-operation via a formal agreement, with the later looking to learn from the former’s irrigation systems and technology. Co-ops in Africa are expected to benefit from a partnership between African Guarantee Fund for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (AGF) and social investor Oikocredit, which will allocate US $10m to finance agriculture and renewable energy SMEs and co-ops serving low-income populations in sub- Saharan Africa. In Zambia, women launched Zambia Women in Agriculture Cooperative Society, which deal in fresh fruit and vegetables. In Kenya, dairy co-operatives are playing a key role in reducing the cost of milk marketing and enabling farmers to achieve higher returns. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN is scaling up its work with AgriCord, a global alliance, with a new five-year agreement to help farmers gain access to markets and adapt to extreme weather conditions. 20 | MAY 2018
GLOBAL Keynote speakers announced for ICA research conference This year’s ICA global research conference will look at the role of co-operatives in a rapidly changing world. The conference, held from 4-6 July at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, will look at internal governance, the rise of producer organisations, resilience, sustainability, education and big data. Keynote speakers include Wiebe Draijer, chair of Rabobank, who will look at the history of European financial co-ops, to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen, the founder of co-op banking. Simel Esim, head of the Cooperatives Unit at the International Labour Organization, will focus the future of work. She will reflect on changing technology and the impact of climate change on demographics, and the co-op and solidarity economy response. And Prof Murray Fulton, from the University of Saskatchewan, will look at new trends in co-op research, followed by a panel discussion. AUSTRALIA Murray Goulburn shareholders approve sale to Saputo Shareholders at Australian dairy co-op Murray Goulburn have approved the sale of its operating assets and liabilities to Canadian dairy giant Saputo for A$1.31bn. The resolution was approved by nearly 98% of the vote at an extraordinary general meeting in Melbourne, which also approved an initial distribution of 80 cents a share or unit within 10 business days of completion. The sale, expected to be finalised on 1 May, has also been given the green light by Australia’s competition regulator, but has still to be approved by the Foreign Investment and Review Board. Murray Goulburn will keep about $235m from the sale, with $195m set aside for any legal action it still faces. Coop Switzerland launches locally sourced ‘Hay Milk’ Swiss retailer Coop has launched ‘Heumilch’ (‘Hay Milk’), a new line of milk, cream, cheese and butter products that uses milk sourced from cows fed exclusively on Swiss hay. “Cows producing hay milk must spend at least 26 days a month on pasture in summer and have access to outdoor areas all year,” says the co-op. Co-ops in Mauritius urged to adopt better governance Co-operatives must embrace new principles of good governance to avoid financial scandals and malpractices, the Mauritian minister of business, enterprise and co-operatives has said. Mr D. Kona Yerukunondu, chair of MCAL, the apex body for co-ops in Mauritius, said the organisation should be considered the mouthpiece of the national co-op movement. Solar co-op transforms the economy of a farming community A village in India has seen its fortunes change after setting up a solar co-op to power their irrigations systems. The Dhundi Saur Urja Utpadak Sahakari Mandali co-op (DSUUSM) was set up two years ago and sees nine farmers irrigate their fields using solar pumps; they also sell surplus power to the Madhya Gujarat Vij electricity company. World Council offers courses via eLeadership AcademyTM The World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) is launching a series of online learning programmes for members as well as the global credit union community. The organisation, which represents credit unions from across the world, is collaborating on the project with eLeadership AcademyTM, New co-op to help Canada’s indigenous fish harvesters A co-operative is being formed in Manitoba, Canada, by a group of 100 fish harvesters to market their product. The group has set up a steering committee to form the co-op, which will support an industry mostly made up of indigenous and Métis people, and has sought legal advice on the model. MAY 2018 | 21
Page 1 and 2: MAY 2018 GOVERNANCE A spotlight on
Page 3 and 4: CONNECTING, CHAMPIONING AND CHALLEN
Page 5 and 6: NEWS ANNUAL RESULTS Co-op Group bac
Page 7 and 8: EQUALITY What is the gender pay gap
Page 9 and 10: RETAIL Midcounties Co-op announces
Page 11 and 12: Lincolnshire Co-op raised more than
Page 13 and 14: HOUSING Scottish Labour leader want
Page 15 and 16: GLOBAL UPDATES USA Berkeley Electri
Page 17 and 18: GLOBAL Health co-operatives are on
Page 19: IRELAND Revenues up 28% at Lakeland
Page 23 and 24: ISSN 0009-9821 9 770009 982010 01 f
Page 25 and 26: people made aware that there is an
Page 27 and 28: Twelve motions go before at the mee
Page 29 and 30: Working together to make the Co-ope
Page 31 and 32: Healthy Choices and Ethical Challen
Page 33 and 34: The Co-op Way to sustainability The
Page 35 and 36: to cut costs, they gave up this dev
Page 37 and 38: Governance and the society secretar
Page 39 and 40: Recently, Co-operatives UK set up a
Page 41 and 42: problem. I consider the organisatio
Page 43 and 44: co-operatives, local markets, kinsh
Page 45 and 46: “In Wales, Labour & Co-op Assembl
Page 47 and 48: vigilance is necessary if we are to
Page 49 and 50: Gain a masters degree at the home o
Page 52: Go green with Co-op Energy 100% ren

MAY 2018

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?