On 26 November 2024, during the ICA Global Cooperative Conference in New Delhi, India the parallel session on “Cross-Regional Cooperation to Build Prosperity for All” brought together all four Directors of the ICA Regional Offices to discuss cooperative initiatives and challenges across regions. The session was moderated by Ms. Cecile Berranger of FAO.

Dr. Sifa Chiyoge highlighted Africa’s immense potential to address global food security despite facing systemic challenges like outdated farming systems, poor infrastructure, lack of access to finance, and high illiteracy rates. She highlighted the importance and immense potential in the region through youth mobilization and capacity-building initiatives, like ICA-MAFF (Japan) training. Regional priorities include strengthening cooperative membership, promoting inter-member cooperation, and advocating for an enabling environment, she concluded.

Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer emphasized the Asia-Pacific region’s agricultural dominance, which produces 90% of the world’s rice, 60% of tea, and 70% of global seafood and employs over 793 million of 1.2 billion people working in agriculture worldwide. Some of the successful cooperatives in terms of scale, reach and efficiency are All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives, ACFSMC from China; AMUL from India, Nong-hyup from South Korea, and Zen-noh from Japan. He highlighted some of the challenges faced by the region especially post-COVID, including climate change, water scarcity, and smallholder marginalization. He concluded by emphasizing collaboration, innovation, and better governance as key opportunities for the region alongside the need for robust policies to support cooperatives.

Ms. Agnes Mathis of Cooperatives Europe said that European cooperatives are transitioning from international to transnational models, leveraging EU policies to expand market access and foster collaboration. While advantages include cooperative-to-cooperative trade, policy support, and dialogue, challenges such as inconsistent legal frameworks, inadequate support services, and misconceptions about cooperatives remain. She emphasized the need for solutions like matchmaking platforms and one-stop resources to strengthen cross-border cooperation and address these barriers.

Mr. Danilo Salerno highlighted the Americas’ recovery from the pandemic, which exacerbated inequalities, increased poverty, and disrupted formal job markets. Case studies, such as Cooperativa Tarrazú and Manos del Uruguay, showcased how cooperatives contribute to rural transformation. Strengthened partnerships with FAO and the adoption of a model law for cooperatives were key points of discussion.

Video messages from several FAO representatives stressed the importance of cooperatives in inclusive agriculture, particularly for youth and women, and highlighted successful collaborations in Africa, the MENA region, and Latin America. FAO also announced an upcoming regional dialogue in Morocco with the ICA-AP Office and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cooperative frameworks through partnerships with ICA.

The session underscored the need for cross-regional cooperation to tackle global challenges and enhance the resilience and sustainability of cooperatives worldwide. From policy advocacy to technology integration, the discussions called for innovative, collaborative solutions that reflect cooperative principles.