The International Cooperative Alliance – Asia Pacific (ICA-AP) is collaborating with nonprofit Heifer International on a regional awareness campaign aiming to combat food poverty in Asia through co-operation.
The two partners launched Seeding Strength: Empowering Farmer Cooperatives at a virtual gathering on 9 July, with more than 170 development leaders, NGO partners, co-operative champions, academics, and farmer representatives from across Asia.
The campaign, launched in conjunction with the International Year of Cooperatives, promotes the role of agricultural co-ops in India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Nepal and highlights the power smallholder farmers gain when organised into co-ops.
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“Farmer co-operatives are democratic, values-based institutions rooted in solidarity and self-help,” said Balasubramanian Iyer, regional director of ICA-AP, at the launch. “They not only strengthen rural-urban linkages and improve access to safe, nutritious food, but also embed social purpose into business. Their power lies in their ability to pool resources, build resilience, and drive people-centered, planet-friendly prosperity.
“The future of agriculture lies not in the hands of a few giants, but in the joint hands of many.”
Senior vice president for Asia Programs at Heifer International, Neena Joshi, said in her keynote address: “When farmers band together through co-operatives, it amplifies their voices, strengthens their bargaining power, and attracts investment to build better enterprises, helping them feed a growing population while caring for the Earth.
“At Heifer International, with over 80 years of experience, we are shifting our focus from supporting individual households to addressing the broader structural barriers that keep smallholder farmers from thriving.”
Tulsi Thapa, president of Bihani Social Entrepreneurs Women Cooperative and central joint secretary of SEWA Nepal, shared her journey from smallholder farmer to co-operative leader, and called on policymakers and stakeholders to support cooperatives with access to finance, insurance, technology, and markets.
“Co-operatives are the spinal cord of rural development, and we all have a role in strengthening them,” she added.
The event also featured a panel discussion panel illustrating how the work of Heifer-supported co-ops directly contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
The Seeding Strength campaign will run until September to engage decision makers, donors, private sector actors, multilateral organisations, academia, media, and the public to mobilise greater support for co-operative-led solutions.
Supporters can join the movement by sharing co-operative success stories using the #SeedingStrength hashtag and participating in upcoming webinars and forums led by ICA-AP and Heifer International.
