To commemorate the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, Heifer International Asia, in partnership with the International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP), launched an awareness campaign “Seeding Strength: Empowering Farmer Cooperatives,” highlighting the pivotal role of cooperatives in empowering smallholder farmers, particularly women. The campaign showcased how farmer cooperatives across Asia are driving transformative change by enabling farmers to achieve a living income, strengthen food systems, and end hunger and poverty, all while caring for the Earth.

The campaign concluded on 24 September with an insightful fireside chat titled “Seeding Strength to Unlock Finance for Women-led Rural Enterprises and Cooperatives in Asia.” The event brought together women leaders, cooperative practitioners, financial experts, and development partners from across the region to explore how women’s cooperatives can gain fair access to finance and thrive in rural economies.

The session began with a cooperative documentary film screening produced with CNN News18, highlighting Heifer’s work to transform food systems through farmer cooperatives. The film set the tone for a powerful discussion on inclusion, finance, and women’s leadership in agriculture.

In the Community Speak segment, Ms. Sangeeta Devi, Executive Director of Diyamati Farmer Producer Company in Bihar, India, shared her inspiring journey of building a women-led goat farming cooperative that now serves thousands of rural women. “With the help of training and support from Heifer, we increased our production and profits. If we could access low-interest loans, our business could grow even more,” she said. Her story reflected the determination of grassroots women entrepreneurs leading change despite financial barriers.

Moderated by Mr. Pranjit Talukdar, Interim Investment Programs Lead at Heifer International, the fireside chat featured insights from Ms. Parbati Neupane, Founding Chairperson of Social Entrepreneurs Women’s Alliance (SEWA), Nepal; Mr. Noun Tum, Vice President, Cambodia Cashew Federation & Business Development Manager, Khmer Organic Cooperative; Mr. Anjani Kumar Singh, Senior Program Officer, Gates Foundation India; and Mr Davide Loriggiola, Policy Officer, European Commission (DG INTPA).

Ms. Neupane discussed how women cooperatives are struggling to access credit due to a lack of collateral and financial literacy. “We need friendly loan policies and digital platforms to connect women to finance and markets,” she said, emphasizing the power of education and technology in driving women’s entrepreneurship.

Mr. Tum highlighted the potential of public–private partnerships to strengthen women-led cooperatives. “We work with 30 cooperatives, most led by women. With better access to finance and technology, they can produce sustainably and reach high-value organic markets,” he noted. He outlined practical steps such as contract farming, traceability systems, and financial training to enhance transparency and market confidence.

Mr. Kumar discussed how blended finance and philanthropic capital can de-risk investments for women entrepreneurs. “Philanthropy must act as a catalyst, building ecosystems, credit histories, and financial literacy so that women can move from group loans to independent financing,” he explained.

Finally, Mr. Loriggiola shared how the EU’s external actions support fairness, sustainability, and resilience. “We focus on equitable access to finance, sustainable farming, and risk mitigation tools that empower women-led enterprises,” he said.

The discussion concluded with a strong message: empowering women through cooperatives is not charity, it is an investment in stronger, more resilient food systems. As moderator, Mr. Talukdar summarized, “Social capital is the greatest asset of women cooperatives. It’s time financial systems recognize and value it.”

Seeding Strength is more than a campaign; it is a movement to place women farmers at the center of solutions for a just and sustainable food system, noted Mr. Gurpreet Kaur Bhatia, Regional Communications Director (Asia), Heifer International.

The webinar recording can be accessed on the ICA-AP YouTube Channel.