Co-op News September 2019: Agriculture

By Anca Voinea
What’s on the agenda at the
ICA conference in Kigali?
Co-operators from around the world will meet in
Kigali, capital of the Republic of Rwanda, on 14-17
October for the ICA Global Conference – Co-operatives
for Development.
Organised by the International Co-operative
Alliance (ICA) in partnership with the Rwandan
government and co-operative movement, the
conference will feature several high-level speakers,
including Rwandan president Paul Kagame.
The four-day event opens with an inaugural
ceremony on Monday evening led by Ariel Guarco,
president of the International Cooperative Alliance,
and Soraya Hakuziyaremeye, Rwanda’s minister
of trade and industry.
Mr Kagame will welcome delegates to Kigali on
Tuesday, 15 October, along with Mr Guarco, ICA-Africa
president Japheth Magomere, and Nicola Bellomo,
ambassador of the delegation of the European Union
to Rwanda.
The opening session will be followed by a keynote
address from environmental activist Dr Vandana
Shiva, who will look at how co-ops can help to achieve
a more solidarity-based and participatory society.
The Delhi-based academic has written more than
20 books, specialising in agriculture and food, and
has also campaigned on issues such as intellectual
property rights, biodiversity, biotechnology,
bioethics, and genetic engineering.
Next, delegates will have a choice of four parallel
sessions exploring the role of co-operatives in
achieving the UN’s 2030 agenda for sustainable
development. The sessions will look at how to tackle
inequalities through the co-operative movement,
touching on issues such as women’s empowerment,
innovation in entrepreneurship and inclusive ethical
value chains.
The conference will continue with a keynote speech
by Mohammed Sajid, from the Ministry of Tourism,
Air Transport, Handicrafts and Social Economy,
who will focus on promoting the preservation of the
environment in Africa and beyond.
In the evening, a series of documentaries about
co-operatives in different parts of the world will be
screened at the Co-op Cinema. The documentaries
were created by researcher Sara Vicari and filmmaker
Andrea Mancori from aroundtheworld.coop.
On Wednesday, 16 October, the morning
plenary will discuss sustainable development
through employment creation and decent work
for all. This will be followed by a plenary on
co-operatives and value chains and their impact from
a developmental perspective. Later, participants
can choose one of four parallel sessions exploring
how co-ops from different sectors – housing, energy,
healthcare and industry – play a role in development.
In the evening, delegates are invited to attend a
gala dinner which will feature the Rochdale Pioneers
Awards ceremony.
The final day begins with a plenary session on
the contributions of co-ops to equality, peace, and
sustainability with case studies and examples from
around the world.
For the final session, a panel of speakers will
be asked to summarise discussions held over the
course of the conference, and to elaborate policy
recommendations.
The day will resume with the General Assembly
of the International Co-operative Alliance, which is
open to ICA members. The General Assembly will
begin at 14:00 local time and is expected to adjourn
by 18:30 local time.
The conference will have an exhibition area where
delegates can meet, network, promote their work and
share best practices with other co-ops.
For those keen to explore Kigali, the organisers are
running a series of tours to give them the chance to
lean more about the local history and the role of the
co-operative movement in the country’s economy.
Clockwise:
Dr Vandana Shiva,
Paul Kagame,
Ariel Guarco and
Japheth Magomere
26 | SEPTEMBER 2019