ICA-AP Participates in the Regional Symposium and Policy Dialogue on “Transforming Cooperative Education in the Digital Era”
The Asian Regional Symposium and Policy Dialogue on “Transforming Cooperative Education in the Digital Era,” held in Bangkok from 24–28 February 2026, was hosted by the Cooperative League of Thailand (CLT) with support from the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives (ACFSMC). The Symposium was attended by cooperative representatives from Bhutan, Laos PDR, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Cooperatives today operate in an environment shaped by climate volatility, youth unemployment, supply chain disruptions, rapid digital transformation, expanding regional trade integration, and uneven institutional capacity. Against this backdrop, the Symposium reinforced the fact that education is not peripheral to cooperative development—it is foundational. At the same time, trade among cooperatives is increasingly recognized as the mechanism through which capacity translates into sustainability. The two-day seminar focused on how education builds institutional strength, how trade builds economic resilience, and how structured cooperation across borders can secure long-term impact.
The first day of the Symposium examined how education and trade must evolve in response to rapid digital transformation, economic shifts, and climate-related challenges.
The opening presentation by Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director, ICA-AP, positioned cooperative education and inter-cooperative trade within a broader regional and global context. His presentation emphasized the urgency of reform. Climate volatility affecting agriculture, rising youth unemployment, supply chain fragility, digital transformation, regional trade integration, and uneven cooperative capacity were identified as immediate pressures shaping the Asia-Pacific landscape. In this environment, cooperative education is not optional—it is essential.
Drawing on Cooperative Principle 5 (Education, Training and Information) and Principle 6 (Cooperation among Cooperatives), he underscored that education builds capacity while trade builds sustainability. Education strengthens governance, enhances financial accountability, supports leadership development, improves policy compliance, and promotes digital literacy. At the same time, trade among cooperatives strengthens member income, retains value within cooperative ecosystems, builds regional value chains, and reduces dependency on intermediaries.
Dr. Asanee Ratanamalai provided a conceptual and policy-oriented framework for transforming cooperative education in the digital era. His presentation emphasized that digital transformation must remain firmly grounded in cooperative identity, democratic governance, and member participation. Digitalization, he argued, is no longer a choice but a structural necessity. However, technology alone cannot transform cooperatives. Successful transformation requires a deliberate roadmap, beginning with organizational assessment and capability evaluation, followed by strategy development, stakeholder buy-in, and phased implementation.
Dr. Asanee highlighted the importance of both technical and soft skills. Technical competencies such as data analytics, AI awareness, cloud systems, and cybersecurity are essential. Yet equally important are leadership, adaptability, communication, collaboration, and change management. Without these human dimensions, digital tools risk becoming underutilized or misaligned with cooperative principles. He further stressed that digital transformation must be democratically adopted. Boards, managers, and members must be engaged in decision-making processes to ensure that technological investments strengthen—not dilute—cooperative values of equity, transparency, and participation.
Dr. Jedsadaporn Sathapatyanon, Director of Foreign Relations Group from the Cooperative Promotion Department offered a practical demonstration of how digital transformation can be implemented at scale. With thousands of cooperatives and millions of members nationwide, Thailand’s Cooperative Development Plan (2023–2027) prioritizes digital organization, big data integration, digital services, and workforce development.
The “Smart Co-op” ecosystem illustrates this approach. Member applications allow real-time monitoring of shares, deposits, and loans, enhancing transparency and financial literacy. Centralized data systems support regulatory compliance and operational oversight. In agricultural sectors such as dairy, digital traceability links production data, collection centers, processing facilities, and market demand, improving efficiency and quality control. Dr. Sathapatyanon emphasized that digital infrastructure must be supported by continuous capacity building. Officers and members require training to effectively utilize new systems, reinforcing the link between education and technological adoption.
Day 2 saw country presentations from Laos PDR, Bhutan, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka
Mr. Namgay Wangdi from the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives (DAMC), Bhutan, presented how cooperative education is embedded within agricultural commercialization. With hundreds of farmer groups and cooperatives nationwide, Bhutan provides structured support in governance compliance, enterprise development, and value addition. Education in this context is directly linked to strengthening cooperative management and improving market access. The Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives (DAMC) emphasis is on compliance, production planning, and enterprise viability. Their aim is to ensure that cooperatives move beyond subsistence-level coordination toward commercially sustainable operations.
Ms. Khamla XAYAPHENG, Head Director of the Division Group and Cooperative Promotion Division, and Mr. Vilaysak XAYASITH, Deputy Director from the Department of Agricultural Extension and Cooperatives, Laos PDR presented their evolving cooperative framework under a newly strengthened legal structure. As the country transitions from landlocked to increasingly connected through regional infrastructure corridors, cooperatives are being positioned as vehicles for trade participation. However, constraints such as limited access to capital, weak management capacity, and infrastructure gaps remain significant. Cooperative education in Laos therefore, focuses on governance reform, leadership strengthening, and value addition to enable meaningful participation in regional trade flows.
Mr. Asanka Tilakaratne, CEO, National Cooperative Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL), said that their approach centers on institutionalized cooperative education delivered through structured diploma and certification programs. Their training spans governance, accounting, auditing, cooperative management, and leadership development. By formalizing education pathways and combining theory with practical exposure, NCCSL reinforces professional standards and accountability across its cooperative sector.
Ms. Mary Rose L. Gob, Group Head, Cooperative Academy National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO), Philippines, presented a digitally enabled education ecosystem anchored in competency-based certification and hybrid learning models. Their Cooperative education funds mandated by law provide sustainability and ownership of training initiatives. Programs now include leadership development, governance training, HR management, marketing, and AI awareness modules. The shift toward digital and blended learning platforms reflects recognition that cooperative members must adapt to technological change while maintaining core values.
The discussions in Bangkok revealed a cooperative movement in transition. Across Bhutan, Laos, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Thailand, cooperative education is moving beyond traditional classroom instruction toward modernization and digital integration. Countries are progressing at different speeds, but the direction is consistent: governance strengthening, professionalization, digital adaptation, and enhanced market participation.
Three principles emerge clearly. First, education builds capacity by strengthening governance, skills, and institutional resilience. Second, trade builds sustainability by generating income, retaining value within cooperative systems, and integrating regional markets. Third, cooperation among cooperatives builds resilience by fostering solidarity and structured collaboration across borders.
In an era defined by technological disruption and economic uncertainty, the cooperative movement’s response must be deliberate and strategic. When education, trade, and cooperation are aligned, cooperatives are uniquely positioned to deliver inclusive growth, economic stability, and sustainable development across the Asia-Pacific region.