ICA-AP and the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) organized a consultation on the Statement of Cooperative Identity (SCI) for ICA members in India on 20 August 2021. 24 representatives from nine members – Centre for Cooperatives and Livelihoods-Autonomous (CCL), Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Indian Farm Forestry Development Cooperative Ltd. (IFFDC), Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd. (KRIBHCO), National Federation of Farmers Procurement, Processing and Retailing Cooperatives of India Ltd. (NACOF), National Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks’ Federation Ltd. (NAFCARD), National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), NCUI, The Tamil Nadu Small Tea Growers ICTFs Federation Ltd. (INDCOSERVE), and Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society Ltd. (ULCCS) - participated in the discussions.
The consultation was helpful to reflect on how the SCI guides day-to-day operations (practical challenges and strategies to overcome them); sets cooperatives (membership and value-based) apart from other business enterprises; fosters member interest and responsibilities; enhances the effective ‘cooperativeness’ of their organisations; and helps relationships with government and stakeholders.
Mrs. Savitri Singh, Director, International Relations, NCUI, welcomed all participants and shared her opening remarks. Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director, ICA-AP apprised the participants on the SCI consultation series (Philippines, Nepal, ASEAN, Middle East and North Africa) and the importance of awareness campaigns shedding light on cooperatives’ contributions.
Mr. Dileep Sanghani, President, NCUI and Dr. Sudhir Mahajan, IAS (Retired) and Chief Executive, NCUI shared perspectives from the Indian cooperative movement on Cooperative Identity. Ms. Om Devi Malla, ICA Global Board member and a member of the Congress Advisory Committee, Dr. Chandrapal Singh Yadav, Vice-Chairperson, ICA-AP Regional Board, and Prof. Akira Kurimoto, member of the ICA Principles Committee and Chair, ICA-AP Research Committee were available to advise and guide the discussions. All of them emphasised the need for a better enabling environment to regulate the sector, setting standards for governance, incorporation process, legal obligations, voting rights, board composition and functions, and contributions to local communities.
Mr. Iyer then opened the floor for a moderated discussion. The participants discussed the modernisation of cooperatives in the post-pandemic world. They noted that a strategy should be formulated by the state and the central government to understand the market potential of cooperatives. Priority sectors where cooperatives could play a significant role in providing essential goods and services for communities should be considered. The participants also discussed the cooperative education programmes and opined that these are excellent forums to raise awareness among the local communities and to instil the cooperative spirit among the youth.
In the closing session, the organisers thanked all the delegates for their active participation. The consultation helped underscore the need for ICA members in India to work closely to leverage synergies of partnerships and economies of scale. The discussants agreed that policymakers need to take cooperatives into account by carrying out consultations with the sector when developing economic policies, regulations, and creating legal frameworks. The cooperative sector deserves equal treatment as other economic sectors, even with their distinctive structure that is member-driven, well-integrated in communities, and built from the ground up.
