Co-operative society: Act together and make greater progress…

The co-operative society is the future of the producer

The co-operative society conveys values which largely contribute to portray it as one of the most positive models in the world as far as the individual and collective progress of producers is concerned.

According to the United Nations, the number of people whose living conditions witnessed a significant improvement in 1994, thanks to the co-operative societies’ action, was estimated at 3 billion. Half of the world population has therefore largely benefited from such move. To date, over 1.2 billion people, representing one person out of six on the planet, can boast of being members of some 2.6 million of co-operative societies worldwide (Source: Monitor.coop).

The Cameroon co-operative movement which dates as far back as in the 1960s has been witnessing a dramatic revival in its activity with the entry into force, since January 2016, of the OHADA law on the registration of co-operative societies.

PIDMA strongly backs up and supports the dynamics of regrouping, structuring and strengthening of farmers through such a model of the future. The co-operative societies are therefore the main beneficiaries of the project. In the late 2017, PIDMA’s portfolio already registered 112 co-operative societies.

coopérateurs

The members of SOCOOPROMAN co-operative society are attending a meeting - Photo Joseph Celestin DZOKOU

Between 2015 and 2017, the enhanced support mechanism for the implementation of sub-projects already recorded 112 co-operative societies under PIDMA’s portfolio.

This figure which is expected to significantly grow in the upcoming months and years comprises, inter alia:

  • 10  sub-projects (02 sorghum and 08 maize)  under implementation thanks to the three funding sources (PIDMA, Bank, Co-operative society);
  • 27  sub-projects (03 sorghum, 08 maize et 16 cassava) under implementation along with finalized Business Plans and 02 funding sources (Co-operative society and PIDMA);
  • 13 maize sub-projects under implementation along with 1 funding source (co-operative society) and BPs under elaboration;
  • 11 sub-projects (08 cassava and 03 maize) along with BPs under elaboration and ongoing mobilization of resources;
  • 37 sub-projects under study (06 sorghum, 10 cassava and 21 maize);
  • 3 maize sub-projects definitely suspended as a result of poor governance;
  • 11 sub-projects (06 cassava and 05 maize) temporarily suspended due to insufficient mobilization of 10%.