More
Information About OCDC:
News, Publications, and Legislation:
Better
Laws for Co-Ops Mean Better Lives for People Around the World
October 31, 2006
Click here to read.
Congress
Backs Increased Funding for International Cooperative Development Program
November 14,
2005
Click here to read.
Co-ops in Crisis Countries
From the Cooperative
Business Journal (CBJ), July/August 2005, by the National Cooperative
Business Association (NCBA)
Click here to read.
YEDI an initiative to save the Yemeni youth
By Nadia al-Sakkaf
Yemen Times Staff
Click
here to read.
Senate Appropriators
Support Cooperative Development Overseas
July 1, 2005 - The Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday gave a major funding boost to a key government program that supports international economic development through cooperative development organizations. Click here to read.
ACDI/VOCA’s Rural Credit Program Ends in Russia
June 30, 2004l WASHINGTON, D.C.—ACDI/VOCA’s Mobilizing Agricultural Credit (MAC) Program officially ends today after six years of success that some doubted was possible. The project’s legacy is the Rural Credit Cooperation Development Fund and 47 accredited rural credit cooperatives which, together, are the backbone of a robust private rural credit system that has already disbursed $24 million in loans. Click here to read more.
USAID Agriculture Stategy: Linking Producers to Markets
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) released its' new agriculture strategy July 2004 and includes successes from three U.S. Cooperatives. To read the strategy, click here.
Producer-Owned Trading Companies Boost Profits in Southern Africa
Three years ago in Zambia, the National Cooperative Business Association's CLUSA International Program pioneered the concept of a farmer-run trading company that both reaches global markets and earns more for small rural producers. Now NCBA has expanded the concept to neighboring Mozambique where approximately 20,000 farming families have formed a trading company called "Ikuru," which means "strength" in the local language. To read the story, go here: http://www.ncba.coop/clusa_news_ss_POTC.cfm
OCDC Members' Case Studies
Currently, OCDC members are creating case studies of cooperatives in different regions throughout the world. OCDC will we compiling these case studies to give a brief summary and synposis of each study. These case studies will be featured and sent out by the listserver. Click here to read the summaries of the case studies.
CDOs Travel to Sudan
At the invitation of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), OCDC has been actively discussing potential roles for cooperatives in development in Sudan throughout 2003. In response, OCDC worked closely with USAID to arrange a joint mission to gain a better understanding of local conditions in South Sudan, with emphasis on economic recovery, especially in agriculturally rich areas, assistance programs working to resettle displaced persons and refugees (including community action plans), and basic electrification and IT services in several towns--part of the Peace Dividend. The mission also attempted to assess the effectiveness of private sector-led development and conflict transformation programs and efforts to change the regional outlook “from relief to development.” To learn more about the trip, see pictures, and read our findings, click here.
Revised Framework for Cooperative Development
The U.S. international cooperative development organizations (CDOs) have revised their framework to assess those factors that differentiate cooperatives from other businesses and link key measures of success or failure at different stages of cooperative development. This framework has been refined and field tested through members case studies. To reach the framework, click here. We welcome your comments!
Cooperatives and HIV/AIDS
U.S. cooperative development organizations (CDOs) are working to help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and mitigate its effects on individuals and communities, especially in East and Southern Africa.
Cooperatives and Democracy Building
Cooperatives are working to help build democracies throughout the world!
Joint IFAD and OCDC Workshop
In late October, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Overseas Cooperative Development Council (OCDC) put on a workshop about Working through Cooperatives and Credit Unions to Reduce Rural Poverty. This day and half workshop demonstrated how partnerships between IFAD, cooperatives and credit unions can effectively contribute to rural poverty alleviation.
Support to Overseas Cooperative Development Act
The Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Support to Overseas Cooperative Development Act was recently released. Visit the links below for more information on the report and legislation: