ICA-AP is a values-based, member-focused, and learning organization committed to
advancing cooperatives as people-centred enterprises. Building on 65 years of regional
presence, our work across Asia and the Pacific is guided by six strategic objectives —
from championing inclusion and enabling policy, to accelerating cooperative
competitiveness, strengthening networks, and serving as a hub for knowledge and
action.
We work to ensure cooperatives are genuinely open to all. This means actively advancing
the role of women in cooperative leadership, integrating youth as the next generation of
cooperative builders, expanding cooperative education and research, and safeguarding the
cultural communities that cooperatives serve.
Cooperatives thrive where laws and policies support them. We advocate for cooperative-
friendly legislation, raise awareness of the cooperative identity and its distinct business
nature, work to embed cooperatives in national policy agendas, and strengthen the platforms
— from parliamentary forums to ministerial conferences — where these conversations
happen.
We position cooperatives as competitive enterprises and credible partners in sustainable
development. Our work deepens their economic role through cooperative-to-cooperative
trade, improves access to capital, kickstarts entrepreneurship through hackathons and
incubation, and advances cooperatives' contribution to the SDGs and climate action —
including through a cooperative carbon exchange.
Growing the cooperative movement requires both visibility and resources. We work to
increase and retain membership across underrepresented countries, strengthen cooperative
branding through the dot.coop domain and cooperative marque, build a data-driven
understanding of the sector through cooperative data platforms and an AI-powered
cooperative chatbot, and diversify our funding base to sustain long-term impact.
A connected cooperative sector is a resilient one. We facilitate cross-border collaboration
through trade fairs and sectoral clusters, reinforce resilience through solidarity mechanisms
and a best-practices library, strengthen national and sub-regional forums, and deepen
engagement with development partners — building the cooperative ecosystem from the
ground up.
ICA-AP is the region's leading hub for cooperative knowledge. We produce and disseminate
research publications, country and sector snapshots, cooperative statistics, and training
manuals. We build capacity through focused training programmes, internships, and
fellowships, engage universities and multilateral bodies, and deepen coordination across
regional and global committees to translate knowledge into action.
9, Aradhana Enclave, Sector 13,
Ramakrishna Puram, New Delhi - 110 066
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