Sudan Trip Report I: Assessment

This timely report, given on-going peace talks, details a mission by the U.S. Overseas Cooperative Development Council (OCDC) to Southern Sudan from October 16-24, 2003 with representatives from ACDI/VOCA, CHF International, Land O’Lakes, NRECA International, Ltd., NTCA and WOCCU. Based on yearlong discussions with the USAID Sudan Taskforce and meetings with senior SPLM officials, the purpose was to assess the role of cooperatives in the transition from relief to development. The major conclusions are:

• Successful return and reintegration of IDPs is a daunting challenge but key to the future. It will occur only if there is appropriate planning (physical and other) and the fostering of economic opportunity through integrated community assistance.
• The greatest assets of Southern Sudan lie in its people, agricultural potential and related value added production and trade. People are ready for peace and open to development opportunities. The timing of assistance is important so that donors and the future government of New Sudan can capitalize on the high expectations and realize concrete peace dividends in a timely fashion.
• Poor roads inhibit all social and economic development.
• Without electrification and telecommunications in at least core centers within major towns, significant development is impossible.
• Cooperative development can be extremely useful in helping Sudan transform itself and overcome the constraints by remoteness and poor infrastructure. Cooperatives are mechanisms that can help address a lack of private capital, and limited productive human and physical capacity through the strength of collective action.

Cooperatives remain in the forefront of rural economic development in many countries, and we believe they are an applicable model for Sudan. They provide for grassroots democratic governance, local control and ownership. U.S. cooperative programs emphasize markets, financial systems controlled by members and communities, and participation in economic activities in which cooperative members invest -- even if very little -- and share in the risks and returns of a group business. We design programs where there are no handouts and insist on user fees/in-kind contributions. Credit unions and farmer associations in Sudan can help to monetize the economy and mobilize secure savings, not just distribute microcredit.

For small Sudanese producers, cooperatives are essential to achieve economies of scale from the farm to market. This role is crucial to achieve the equity in agricultural development central to sustained economic growth. Cooperatives do this by aggregating volumes sufficient to compete for markets, purchase inputs and attract professionals. By establishing remunerative markets, cooperatives encourage and support farmer investments in modern technology, and by producing in commercial quantities and quality to meet market demands.

To read the report of the trip, click here.

Sudan Trip Report II: Coop Training

As a follow up, OCDC engaged Andreas (Andi) Altmeyer and Stella Kenyi, students at Davidson College to deliver the OCDC comments on the law and carry out basic cooperative training in Yei. Stella Kenyi, who was born in Yei, served as an OCDC intern during the summer of 2003. Kenyi and Altmeyer were trained by senior OCDC staff in cooperative principles, operations and law for development of their cooperative training during December 2003. They were also provided with basic cooperative education materials.

A major consideration in the training was to strengthen the linkage between OCDC and Southern Sudan, gain additional community imputs and further identify local partners for cooperative development projects. Additionally, the training and outreach in Yei was intended to assess interest and identify potential local partners for the Cooperative Development Organizations (CDOs).

To read this second trip report, click here.

Pictures

Below are some pictures from the trip. More pictures and a map of Sudan can be found in the Sudan Trip Reports.

Pictures were taken by Patrick Sommerville, CHF International.