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Co-operatives to help Colombian farmers build trust and business savvy

Release: On Receipt

 

Ottawa, June 19, 2014

 

 

The Canadian Co-operative Association has launched a new project to help small farmers in Colombia work together to get their product to market. The five-year, $15.3 Million project was announced last Tuesday by the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of International Development.  

 

"Canada is proud to support CCA's work in Colombia to help small entrepreneurs, farmers and their families to improve their incomes so they can raise their children with hope for a brighter future even in the face of difficult challenges," said Minister Christian Paradis. This work will not only directly benefit 17,500 small-scale farmers, but the project will also have a greater positive impact on small-scale farmers, their families and their communities, improving the lives of 105,000 women, men and children."

 

CCA executive director Jo-Anne Ferguson says small producers in Colombia lack the resources to improve their production, financing, agro-processing and marketing, and the means to bring their products to local, regional, national and international markets.

 

"Co-operative enterprises can help farmers achieve together what they are unable to do in isolation," she says.

 

Rural co-operatives are a key part of the Colombian government's strategy to build peace in communities affected by the armed conflict that was a reality in Colombia for over 60 years. While rural communities have made the transition to producing legal crops such as cacao, coffee, fruits and vegetables, farmers lack the methods and means to compete successfully in the marketplace. The government has encouraged the formation of associations to help farmers access needed services. CCA has been transforming these associations into registered, member owned and managed co-operative enterprises with its partner GESTANDO, the business development arm of Colombia's co-operative sector.    

 

"Through co-operatives," says Ms. Ferguson, "communities re-learn how to co-operate and function in a democratic manner that harnesses collective action, rebuilds the social fabric and creates economic prosperity. This is critical in communities coming out of recent conflict, as in Colombia."

 

CCA and GESTANDO are ready to expand outreach to rural farmers based on their success forming farmer co-operatives in three departments (provinces) over the past three years. The new project will scale up the current program into ten departments throughout the country, reaching 70 rural communities.

 

Ms. Ferguson says that linking farmers to needed services and co-operative networks gives them the means to produce more and better quality crops, pool and add value to their product for better positioning in Colombia's growing consumer markets. The project will help farmer associations become registered as legal co-operatives, provide farmer groups with technical, management and marketing training, and facilitate commercial trade among co-operatives.  

 

CCA is delivering this project on behalf of the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada, a national charity which helps alleviate poverty by building and strengthening financial and non-financial co-ops in developing countries. CDF is contributing $347,000 towards the project.

 

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The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) is a not-for-profit co-operative that establishes and strengthen co-operatives, credit unions, and community-based organizations to reduce poverty, build sustainable livelihoods, and improve civil society in less developed countries. To achieve this mission, CCA works with Canadian co-operatives and credit unions to channel their knowledge and experience to partner organizations and co-operatives in Africa, Asia and the Americas. Climate resilience and gender are cross cutting priorities in all of CCA's programs.CCA proudly delivers programs on behalf of the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF). To learn more, visit www.coopscanada.coop 

 

 

The Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF) is a registered charitable organization which works to alleviate poverty by building and strengthening co-operatives and communities around the world. To learn more, visit www.cdfcanada.coop

 

 

GESTANDO is a second-tier co-operative organization providing business development services to Colombia's co-operative sector. To learn more, visit www.gestando.coop

 

 

For further Information contact:

David Shanks

Manager of Communications and Marketing

[email protected]

275 Bank St., Suite 400, Ottawa, Ontario K2P 2L6

613 238-6711 ext. 207 Toll Free 1-866-266-7677

 

 

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