What can agriculture and food cooperatives in Africa learn from how other cooperatives have performed in the past, their strengths and limitations, and how applying those learnings can propel the sector forward in the present and future?
Why have some cooperatives failed to deliver better outcomes for African agriculture in the past?
Chief among the reasons some cooperatives have failed to reach their full potential include issues around governance and supports for greater training and capacity building in this area. In addition, access to affordable capital is a perennial issue for cooperatives to fund services and procurement. The practice of side-selling is also an issue for cooperatives around the world, particularly so across Africa.
What are the grounds for optimism around agriculture cooperatives in Africa at the present?
Improvements in governance have minimised many of the practices that impeded organisations in the past. In addition, a whole host of agtech innovations is making it possible for co-operatives in Africa to be monitored and perform better. These technologies are boosting confidence in the sector and the backing of financial institutions.
How can the cooperative model improve the economic and social sustainability of smallholder farmers?
Cooperatives in Africa can improve the lives of smallholder farmers through increased purchasing power, increased market power, sharing of resources and the transfer of knowledge.
