51ST ADB ANNUAL MEETING
Civil Society Program
The Role of Agricultural Cooperatives in Helping Reduce Poverty in Asia and the Pacific
Learning with Partners (Asian Farmers’ Association, AgriTerra, and AsiaDHRRA)
AFA, Agriterra, and AsiaDHRRA hold a learning session on the role of agricultural cooperatives in helping reduce poverty in Asia and the Pacific at the ADB Headquarters in Mandaluyong City, Philippines on 5 May 2018 as part of the activities slated for the 51st ADB Annual Meeting.
The session will discuss initiatives and approaches to supporting and strengthening agricultural cooperatives, including the importance of lobby and advocacy by farmers organizations to help improve the enabling environment for cooperatives business.
Agricultural cooperatives and farmer organizations are key players in creating jobs, improving income, and reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region. Agricultural cooperatives help connect the poor to markets and increase their access to basic productive assets, enabling them to benefit more from economic opportunities arising in the region. However, they face challenges in terms of establishing farmer-led enterprises and businesses supported by an enabling environment where they can flourish. Farmers organizations must play a key role in shaping the policy and regulations environment for cooperative business, thereby ensuring more inclusive economic growth. The session will discuss initiatives and approaches to supporting and strengthening agricultural cooperatives, including the importance of lobbying and advocacy by farmers’ organizations to help improve the enabling environment for cooperative business. (ADB)
The session is co-organized by the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA), Agriterra, and Asian Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (AsiaDHRRA).
Presenters & Reactors
Sorosoro Ibaba Development Cooperative (SIDC)
Rico B. Geron
AGAP Party List Representative, Philippine House of Representatives
AFA’s Model: Building Agricultural Cooperative for Food and Livelihood
Cresente C. Paez
Asian Farmers’ Association (AFA) Cooperative Development Program Director
Farmers Associations and Agricultural Cooperative
Wen-Chi Huang
Professor and Chair, Department of Agribusiness Management, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Taipei,China
Asian Development Bank and Cooperatives
Cornelis (Kees) Blokland
Managing Director, Agriterra
Sarah Hessel
International Fund for Agricultural Development
Xianbin Yao
Special Senior Advisor to the President, ADB
Moderators
Ma. Estrella Penunia
Secretary General, AFA
Marlene Ramirez
Secretary General, AsiaDHRRA
WATCH the complete video of the learning session on “The Role of Agricultural Cooperatives in Helping Reduce Poverty in Asia and the Pacific” below
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