Experts and stakeholders from across the globe and India congregated here at a two-day workshop beginning Tuesday deliberating on the role of cooperatives in global supply chain logistics and how they contribute to sustainable development and inclusive growth.
Ashish Bhutani, Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, inaugurated the event themed, ‘Cooperatives and Global Supply Chain Logistics,’ and highlighted the significance of cooperatives in today's interconnected global economy. “This workshop comes at a crucial juncture, where the global economy is increasingly interconnected, and the role of cooperatives in supply chain logistics has never been more pertinent. As we gather here to deliberate upon agricultural cooperatives' impact and success stories on global supply chains and logistics, we must acknowledge the pivotal role that cooperatives play in fostering sustainable development and inclusive growth,” said Bhutani.
The conference has been jointly organized by prominent organizations, including the Network for the Development of Agricultural Cooperatives in Asia and the Pacific (NEDAC), the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), and the National Cooperative Development Cooperation (NCDC).
Pankaj Kumar Bansal, Chairman, NEDAC and Managing Director, NCDC pointed out that cooperatives advocate for a holistic approach to economic development within global supply chains, ensuring the integration of social and environmental considerations alongside economic progress. He said India has been empowering farmers, the majority of whom are associated with cooperatives, at every step to achieve the goal of ‘Sahakar se Samridhi tak.’
Throughout the day, participants engaged in technical sessions and discussions led by experts from various fields. These sessions covered a wide range of topics, including the ‘Role of e-commerce in supply chain logistics in Thailand and selected ASEAN countries’, ‘Examples of how agricultural cooperatives enhance supply chains in Asia and Africa,’ Possibilities and difficulties of cooperative engagement in markets and logistics’, ‘Innovative approaches to advancing cooperative involvement in supply chains and logistics,’ and ‘The current situation of Vietnamese agricultural cooperatives and its logistics to enter the global supply chain.’
Speakers included Jaruwan Jan-in from the Cooperative Promotion Department, Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperatives, Thailand; Dr. Takuji W Tsusaka from the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand; Sanjay Kumar Verma from the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI); Dr. C Pitchai from The Gandhigram Rural Institute, Tamil Nadu, India and Dr. Nguyen Thi Kim Quyen Can Tho University, Vietnam.
Dr. K R Salin, Director of NEDAC, shared important highlights and insights gleaned from the conference's discussions and deliberations, underlining the significance of cooperative engagement in shaping sustainable and inclusive supply chain logistics systems. On Wednesday, participants will be taken for a field visit at The Himachal Pradesh State Co-operative Milk Producer's Federation Limited in the district to gain practical insights into the implementation of cooperative-led supply chain logistics and best practices in action.
