COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Cooperatives are a natural mechanism for the “have-nots” of an economy to realize their economic potential.  In countries where people lack capital or access to capital and have limited vocational or technical skills, cooperative structures can be an effective mechanism for individuals to pool their resources and skills toward a common economic goal. 

Cooperative development is inherently local, concentrating on the identified mutual needs and self-interest of community members, pooling their resources, sharing expertise and leveraging their collaborative efforts to achieve something that they could not have done individually.

Cooperatives can take advantage of the economies of scale gained from collaboration, in areas such as logistics, marketing, finance, sales and more.  External linkages to supplies, markets or capital are facilitated by aggregating supply and demand to a level that provides the cooperative with bargaining power greater than that of each member individually.  In turn, local economies benefit from the ripple effect of these financial gains.

Applying best practices around the world

CHF International is applying a variety of existing best practices and methodological tools to help cooperative stakeholders improve their performance in Mongolia and Rwanda. The Enabling Market Integration Through Rural Group Empowerment (EMIRGE) project aims to improve the incomes of small-scale farmers by enabling small agricultural groups to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. By utilizing a market-based approach, EMIRGE links these groups to an existing demand to help drive their growth and raise incomes.

How is CHF International involved in the cooperative movement?

CHF International has been a leading force in the cooperative development movement starting with the U.S. cooperative housing movement in 1952. CHF has since expanded its expertise, programs, and geographic scope to provide individuals and communities around the world with the necessary tools to improve their lives.