The International Cooperative Alliance - Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP) recently had the honor of hosting two sets of visitors. The first group included Mr. Korbinian März from DGRV, the German Cooperative and Raiffeisen Confederation, and Mr. C.S. Reddy from Mahila Abhivruddhi Society, Andhra Pradesh (APMAS), an organization supporting self-help groups in India. The second notable visit was from Mr. Dok Luan of the Cambodia Agricultural Cooperative Alliance (CACA), accompanied by a board colleague. The visits provided an excellent opportunity to delve into strategic priorities, potential partnerships, and avenues for international cooperation.

DGRV, with its vast network and development projects across the Asia Pacific region, brings a wealth of experience in cooperative development. APMAS, known for its support to self-help groups, has an active interest in supporting the federation of cooperatives. The discussion with Mr. März and Mr. Reddy centred on leveraging their expertise, particularly in the areas of ratings and audits. The focus was on how the strategic experiences of DGRV and APMAS could be integrated to foster sustainable growth and development within cooperatives in the Asia Pacific region.

Established in January 2020, CACA represents Agricultural Cooperatives (ACs) and Agricultural Cooperative Unions (ACUs) across Cambodia, advocating for their rights and providing essential support services. Their mission is to develop the agriculture sector and improve the socio-economic conditions of farmers. The discussion with Mr. Luan focused on the benefits of ICA membership, particularly in the realms of training, exchange programs, and advocacy. This meeting was a significant step towards understanding the needs and aspirations of agricultural cooperatives in Cambodia and exploring how ICA-AP's resources and network can be leveraged to support their growth and impact.