The seminar on "Enhancing Sustainable Agricultural Supply Chains through Partnership among Cooperatives in Asia and the Pacific," was jointly organized by the ICA-AP Trade and Business Committee and the Network for the Development of Agricultural Cooperatives in Asia and the Pacific (NEDAC), to explore ways to align cooperative efforts with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promote sustainable agricultural practices. It was held on 7 November 2023 in Manila, the Philippines.
Moderated by Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director, ICA-AP, the seminar featured three distinguished panelists: Dr. Lionel Dabbadie, Senior Fisheries and Aquaculture Officer of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), who discussed FAO's support to agricultural and fisheries cooperatives; Mr. Ray R Elevazo, Deputy Administrator II, Institutional Development Service (IDS), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), who explored the links between SDGs and cooperative development; and Mr. Zulkiflee bin Aspan, Director of the Central Zone, Cooperative Institute of Malaysia (CIM), who delved into practical approaches for enhancing supply chain resilience and sustainability.
The seminar featured insightful presentations, including the significance of agricultural cooperatives in creating resilient supply chains, showcasing successful case studies, exploring the direct links between SDGs and the cooperative sector, and discussing practical approaches to enhance supply chain resilience and sustainability. The seminar facilitated knowledge exchange, identified strategies to foster cooperative partnerships for agricultural development, and emphasized the importance of multi-stakeholder efforts in advancing sustainable agriculture.
