Webinar by the International Cooperative Alliance – Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP) Committee on Agriculture and Environment
Overview
Climate change is one of the defining challenges of the 21st century. Rising global temperatures and increasing greenhouse gas emissions are intensifying extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, cyclones, and heatwaves. These disruptions are not only damaging ecosystems but are also deepening socioeconomic vulnerabilities across communities.
The Asia and Pacific region remains particularly exposed. Disasters have claimed millions of lives over the past decades and continue to affect millions annually, with severe economic and social consequences. Climate-induced displacement is also rising sharply, highlighting the urgency for localised and inclusive resilience strategies.
In this context, cooperatives play a critical role. Rooted in collective action and community solidarity, they have demonstrated the ability to absorb shocks, sustain livelihoods, and support recovery. Through approaches such as climate-smart agriculture, community-based risk sharing, and resilient infrastructure, cooperatives are strengthening adaptive capacity at the grassroots level.
This webinar will bring together experiences from across the region to showcase how cooperatives are responding to climate and disaster risks, and to explore pathways for strengthening resilience.
Objectives
- Showcase cooperative-led responses to climate change-induced disasters across Asia and the Pacific
- Strengthen understanding of disaster preparedness and climate risk management within cooperatives
- Identify policy pathways to enhance long-term cooperative resilience
Key Themes
1. Cooperative Heroes in Climate Action: Lessons from Asia Pacific
Focus on real-life case studies of cooperatives responding to climate-related disasters, including preparedness measures and community-led resilience strategies.
Featured case studies include:
- Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (India)
- Philippine Family Farmers Agriculture, Fishery and Forestry Cooperatives Federation (AgriCOOPh)
2. Policy Pathways for Strengthening Cooperative Resilience
Discussion on policy frameworks, partnerships, and innovative approaches to strengthen long-term resilience of cooperatives in the face of climate risks.
Webinar Format
- Duration: 100 minutes
- Opening and context setting
- Welcome remarks
- Keynote Session I: Case studies and cooperative responses
- Keynote Session II: Policy perspectives
- Interactive Q and A session
- Closing remarks and vote of thanks
The session will be conducted online via Zoom.
Date and Time
Date: 19 May 2026
Time: 12:00 PM to 1:40 PM IST
Platform: Zoom
Target Audience
- Cooperative leaders, board members, and managers
- National cooperative federations and unions
- Policymakers and government officials
- Academicians and researchers
- Representatives from regional and international organisations
- Youth and women leaders from cooperatives
Expected Outcomes
- Enhanced understanding of cooperative resilience in disaster contexts
- Documentation of regional case studies and best practices
- Identification of common resilience patterns across sectors
- Strengthened regional cooperation and peer learning
- Policy-relevant insights for institutional strengthening
