Blog

The Impacts of COVID-19 in The Agriculture Sector Go Beyond the Disruption of Global Food Systems, Regional Agriculture Value Chains, and Risk to Household Food Security.

By Kristy McCarville, Operations Associate, US Overseas Cooperative Development Council As policies began to restrict the freedom of movement and business operations, economic and social stressors aggravated pre-existing gender and societal hierarchies, leading to an uptick in gender-based violence (GBV). In the past, rural women have disproportionally been affected by health and economic crises, and Read More

WOCCU to Support Women’s Entrepreneurship & Economic Empowerment Worldwide

SENGAL April 2020 – August 2021. WOCCU is developing a Gender Lens Investment Methodology in Senegal that will elevate women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment worldwide.The financial backing for the project is provided by USAID INVEST, and USAID’s office of Gender Equity and Women’s Empowerment and will be deployed through innovative blended finance approaches. These approaches Read More

This Year’s Dedicated International Programming is Available Free of Charge to Development Practitioners.

On October 8 and 9 from 10 am-noon each day, participants in the International Track of IMPACT 2020 will have the opportunity to be part of a fast-paced virtual gathering of cooperative community leaders from across the U.S. and around the world. In addition to outstanding keynote speakers, expect dynamic and engaging breakout sessions, opportunities Read More

International Cooperative Innovation Award

There is nothing cookie-cutter about creating a more equitable and sustainable world. It takes new ideas, new strategies, new models — and the courage to put them into action. The U.S. Overseas Cooperative Development Council wants to identify, recognize, and celebrate those international cooperative development innovators who continue to advance co-ops as a grassroots, sustainable Read More

Post-pandemic: Cooperatives must lead on Climate Action, Creating new Opportunities

By Paul Hazen, Executive Director, U.S. Overseas Cooperative Development Council July 4 is Independence Day in the United States; it’s also the International Day of Cooperatives 2020. These are two of my favorite holidays because I can celebrate my country and the cooperative movement at the same time. Cooperatives are as American as apple pie Read More

Black Lives Matter: OCDC Stands in Solidarity with the Black Community

Friends and Allies, I write to you in solidarity. The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and too many other Black Lives have left our community, our people, and our world with profound outrage and grief. The Black community is subjected daily to profiling, inequality, and violence from a system that pushes down and out. Read More

Assessing Cooperative Training Needs In Developing Countries

Assessing Cooperative Training Needs. It is widely known that a competent board of directors is an important factor in cooperative success. However, directors of local cooperatives in developing countries may be unfamiliar with democratic governance processes and the skills needed for effective directing. While there are significant impediments to good cooperative governance (e.g., inadequate training, Read More

Covid-19 Update: Fair trade premiums at Finca Triunfo Verde

A Letter from Julia Baumgartner, Cooperative Development Program Manager, Equal Exchange. Hey everyone, I wanted to share a little glimmer of good news from Finca Triunfo Verde in Chiapas, Mexico. We’ve been in close communication these last few weeks as the Covid-19 outbreak was just beginning. Our CDP team cancelled our trip and returned home, Read More

Covid 19: The Cooperative Difference in Action.

During this time, we’d like to take a moment to demonstrate the value of having a business model focusing on Concern for the Community, Cooperative Principle Number 7. What our CDOs are doing: this excel matrix provides an overview of the response from our cooperative development organizations as they work to combat COVID-19 around the Read More

COVID-19: Cooperative Development Organizations

USAID Guidance to Implementing Partners: general information for reference by USAID project implementers. ICRG Gender Based Violence Strategy Guide: this document provides information to help plan activities addressing increases in GBV as a result of COVID-19. ICRG Food Security Strategy Guide: this document provides information necessary to planning activities related to food insecurity as a Read More