Regional Programme for Cooperative Development

The cooperative model provides farmers with a way to organize their businesses to achieve higher and more predictable incomes. Cooperatives can be effective and important for farmers if managed properly. The UN highlights cooperatives as essential for inclusive economic and social development in local communities.

In Africa, it is estimated that women produce up to 80% of the food, but they mainly contribute to the lower and less income-generating parts of the agricultural value chain. By organizing into cooperatives, women can gain better access to production resources and a stronger voice in business management. This also gives them the opportunity to learn about democratic processes and strategic work.

Women in African countries participate less in formal decision-making processes and are less active in cooperatives compared to men. At the same time, the political frameworks in Tanzania or Mozambique are variably updated and/or supportive of the cooperative movement.

Goal

The Regional Programme of Cooperative Development is a subproject under Growing Resilience where we are working through a range of activities to increase food security in Tanzania and Mozambique through sustainable local value chains.   

The programme covers both framework conditions for cooperatives and cooperative level efforts supported by research. Ensuring active participation and involvement by women in the democratic and business-related activities in an agricultural cooperative, cannot rely on framework conditions alone. It also requires systematic efforts within the cooperative movement.

About the project

The project is working in several areas to achieve the overall goal.

1)     Champion Cooperatives for Women in Tanzania and Mozambique

  • Through the project, we will establish and support the development of 18 new female agricultural cooperatives through formal establishment, statutes, training, and business development.

  • The project will also strengthen seven existing mixed agricultural cooperatives in Manyara, Tanzania by updating strategies for increased gender equality, improving business competence, and ensuring more active involvement of women.

  • Additionally, we will strengthen two cooperative interest organizations in their systematic work to highlight women in cooperatives, through training on the importance of women as active contributors in cooperatives and by establishing networks and sharing good examples, and strengthening relationships and cooperation.

2)     Knowledge Component

The purpose of the knowledge component is to follow the work with Champion Cooperatives for women, by documenting and sharing experiences, and by providing research-based input throughout the project. This is particularly true for the work with Champion Cooperatives to ensure that experiences can be shared, utilized, and institutionalized beyond the case cooperatives. MOCU will also support a university in Mozambique in developing curriculum courses related to cooperatives at their university.

3)      Advocacy: Cooperative Law and Policies

Norges Vel believes that farmers' voices and influence will be strengthened through strong cooperative organizations. Therefore, the program will work both nationally and at the African level to increase the capacity for advocacy work and to promote high-level meeting arenas. This will be achieved by developing a tool for advocacy and lobbying for Mozambique and Tanzania, as well as increasing the competency in advocacy work for the national cooperative organizations in these countries. The program will also support ongoing regional processes for a new African model law for cooperatives, with a special focus on Mozambique and Tanzania. Furthermore, top-level meetings will be organized to improve the systematic work on advocacy at the national level.

CooperativeAstrid Fuglesang StokkeTanzania, Mozambique, Projects