strenghtening Chinese farmer organisations; preparation of cooperation

Two scoping missions showed the request and potential to support farmer organisations in China. The 2 pilot projects with 8 coops in Yunnan have been succesfull. They focused at organisational strengthening of individual coops and advice on production technologies. The focus there will be on expansion in order to roll out of the model of extension, cooperative development and to come to a larger outreach and stronger cooperative structures such as in federations and associations. In Gansu cooperative models started recently, but often are not strong yet. The focus will be on strengthening cooperative models (coops, federations and associations), their training and coaching systems as well as on technical and marketing advise. In the end this should lead to farmers organisations, who can be clients for Agriterra and where Agriterra can support with its specific Dutch knowledge on the cooperative sector and on some specific Dutch specialities such as the potato sector. As part of our investment in cooperative development in China Agriterra needs and wants to be present with staff to enable stronger and fruitful relations with partners and other relevant actors. So this project will as well investigate and develop a local presence with staff supporting the programme.