ADDIS ABABA – “Like Netherland’s cooperatives, ours could enhance their economic contribution in both rural and urban areas through modernizing cooperatives with various spheres,” Ethiopian Cooperatives Commission (ECC) said.
Leaders and experts from ECC, Addis Ababa Cooperative Commission, Oromia Rural Development Coordination Office and other partners took visit to Netherland and shared best experiences.
During the panel discussion and experience sharing of Addis Ababa Cooperative Commission, Deputy Commissioner of the ECC Abdi Mummed mentioned that supporting cooperatives with research and innovation is crucial to develop cooperatives.
He also highlighted that merging cooperatives with different partners such as technology, research and financial institution would play significant role to enhance its contribution to the country.
Highlighting that the nation have shared best experience with Netherland, the latter has supported cooperatives with amicable policy, science and technology.
Moreover, many countries with long years of experience have increased cooperative’s contribution to GDP by 18% through agriculture.
Ethiopia has 110,000 primary cooperatives, 406 cooperative unions, five regional federations, comprised over 25 million members and over 50 billion Birr capital.
Addis Ababa Cooperatives Commission Commissioner Lelity Gedey on her part mentioned that cooperatives have undeniable contribution to the given country since they would help full utilizations of potentials everywhere in the world.
Thus, she underlined that it is high time to increase their accessibility, exploit full capital resource, shift to manufacturer and deliver quality service.
Recalling the best experience drawn from Netherland recently, she emphasized that the experience was an opener which showcased cooperative’s potential to increase country’s economic contribution.
Cooperatives in Ethiopia have served for several decades. Nonetheless, there are countries like Kenya that first took the financing (saving) sector experience from Ethiopia but now performing better than the latter. Currently, they have managed to cover over 45% of their GDP”.
Lesson should be drawn from such countries and need to work in connection with research institution, higher education institutions and other partners to boost cooperatives capacity, as to her.
“Cooperatives should not be formed for personal interest rather the need to change its member’s livelihood while becoming competitive with regard to economy, supply, provision, quality. Apart from improving the livelihood of members, cooperatives need to increase their ability to buy more shares.”
Following the reform undertaken last year, the nation has formulated laws and regulations to enable cooperative perform the aforesaid activities, she stressed. Number of systems that constrained cooperatives have been revised to allow competitiveness, modernization of service and enhancement of capital, she stressed.
BY BETELHEM BEDLU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2024
