The ICA-MAFF training course on "Strengthening Management and Development of Agricultural Cooperatives and Farmers’ Organizations in Asia and the Pacific-2022” was held online by ICA-AP in Feb-March 2023. The training course aimed to assist in fostering leaders of farmers’ organisations including agricultural cooperatives, who are expected to play central roles in promoting the agricultural cooperatives’ formation and strengthening organizational and business management, thus contributing to enhancing the competitiveness of agricultural products and income leading to the sustainable development of agricultural production.
The training program was implemented by ICA-AP in collaboration with the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA) India and the Institute for the Development of Agricultural Cooperation in Asia (IDACA), Japan. The course was funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of the Government of Japan.
The first part of the two-part training course was held online from 1 to 20 February. The opening program was inaugurated by Mr. Ikko Watanabe, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in India, in the presence of Mr. Balu Iyer, Regional Director, ICA-AP, Mr. Hirofumi Kobayashi, Executive Director, IDACA, Dr. Umakant Dash, Director of IRMA, Prof. S.N. Biswas, Coordinator from IRMA, Mr. Satyendra Pandey, Associate Dean (Management Development Programs), IRMA and Mr. A.K. Taneja, Project Coordinator of ICA-AP, New Delhi, India.
The module at IRMA consisted of segments focusing on improving the conceptual, analytical, and leadership capabilities of managers of agricultural cooperatives/farmers’ organizations to help them in developing their skills in improving the management of their cooperatives.
There were 12 participants from Asia and the Pacific countries – Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Nepal and Vietnam.
After completing Part-I of the program, the participants assembled again to attend Part-II of the program online from 6 to 30 March onwards. It was inaugurated by Mr. Takashi Yoshioka, Counsellor, Export and International Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF), in the presence of Mr. Kobayashi, Mr. Iyer, and Mr. Taneja. Ms. Yuki Irisawa and Ms. Oshita were the coordinators of this part of the program from IDACA.
Some of the subjects covered by IDACA were the functioning of agricultural cooperatives in Japan in the areas of farm guidance, joint collection and shipment, and business management methods. Here, the participants presented their Job Reports and finalized their Action Plans under the guidance of IDACA experts and on the basis of their learning in Part-I and Part-II of the Training Course.
Before the start of the actual training program on 1 February, the participants were placed under the charge of their respective Chief Executive Officers for a period of two weeks to undertake Home Country Assignments (HCA). During this period, they were asked to prepare (i) a Job Report, and (ii) a Draft Action Plan for the development of their organization, according to the guidelines provided by the course organisers.
The concluding session of the program was addressed by Mr. Iyer and Mr. Kobayashi, in the presence of all participants and IDACA staff. A video message of Mr. Baba Toshihiko was played at the closing ceremony. Mr. Tshendu, a participant from Bhutan and Mr. Tuan Luong Do, a participant from Vietnam shared the vote of thanks and the participation certificates were distributed online by IDACA to each participant.
Based on the learnings and knowledge gained from the training course, the participants finalised their Action Plans to be implemented by them with the help of their respective organizations in due course.
