Development of the cooperative economy and cooperatives in the first 6 months of 2020

Despite being negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing in Vietnam, there was significant growth in cooperatives during the first 6 months of 2020.  752 cooperatives, 10 cooperative federations, 3,000 pre-cooperatives were newly established in the fields of agriculture, industry and services. As of June 2020, there were 25,282 cooperatives, an increase of 2,002 cooperatives over the same period in 2019; with 7.2 million members and 2.5 million workers. 

The COVID-19 pandemic, avian influenza and African swine cholera epidemic in many localities as well as saline intrusion due to climate change in the Mekong Delta have affected cooperative effectiveness and operation. Activities of cooperatives in agriculture, tourism, small industry and handicraft and consumer sectors have been affected. Many cooperatives which suffered from the Covid-19 pandemic have mobilized resources to restore and develop production and business by themselves.

Activities of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance (VCA)

VCA has implemented many activities during the first six months of 2020. The key results for this period were:

• To advise and support the establishment of 752 new cooperatives, 10 cooperative federations and restructuring existing cooperatives;
• To promulgate regulations and mobilize resources to set up 63 models of cooperatives with value chains in 63 provinces and cities in Vietnam;
• To promote and raise public awareness on cooperatives economy and cooperatives;
• To continue to provide public services on credit, training, trade promotion ...; 
• To prepare for VCA’s National Congress term 2020 – 2025 (November 2020);
• To collaborate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment to publish the Vietnam’s Cooperative White Paper in 2020; to set up the Strategy for Cooperative Development for 2021 to 2030, the Cooperative Support Program for 2021 to 2025 and VCA’s Public Investment Plan for 2021 to 2025; 
• To inaugurate the project on “Cooperatives with Uncle Ho” at Kim Lien Special National Historic Site, Nam Dan District, Nghe An province.