The International Conference on Cooperative Trends and development in Asia and Pacific Region

National Cooperative Federation of Nepal
Kathmandu, Nepal
Kathmandu 00977
Nepal

1. Introduction In 1844 or 168 years ago a modern cooperative as a formal association fully structured is found to have come into operation in England and is known as Equitable Pioneer Society which runs consumer store for meeting daily necessities of its members. After a couple of years credit unions are found to have emerged in order to meet credit need, of farmers in the rural agricultural sector, and of people of urban area, in the non-agricultural sector in Germany. Modern types of cooperatives are seen to have been widely spread throughout the world. The ways and means, values and principles adopted by them have attracted not only the people but also the government in the world. Both the people and governments have used cooperatives as instrumental for meeting development of agriculture and non-agriculture sectors which have no strong bases for making people's lives and country's economic growth better. It seems that coverage of economic and social activities of cooperative sector has been wider and wider as people's needs. Accordingly, the contribution of the cooperative sector is extremely significant and commendable. The immense contributions of the cooperative sector in the areas can be cited as its roles played in reduction of economic and social exploitation made by middlemen, merchants and landlords in the process of lending money to farmers, easy availability of agricultural inputs, technical support, marketing facilities, production insurance, reduction of unemployment and underemployment, rural poverty in the agricultural sector. The contribution of the cooperative sector in Nepal also can be mentioned here. It has been immense in order to enhance social harmony through the reduction of disparities among the deprived population and ethnic communities, create employment and alleviate poverty. The cooperative sector in Nepal has covered the development of multiple areas of agriculture and non-agriculture. Some of the areas have made a lot of the contribution in order to improve the lives of the people. The contribution of savings and credit, dairy, coffee, vegetable and fruit, community services etc are worth mentioned. However, there must be an effective thrust on quality terms which senses members active and responsible participation in their respective cooperative enterprises' business and services, high-business turnover, functionable structure, strict persuasion of cooperative values and principles, good governance and transparency in economic business activities. if cooperative enterprises at all levels can catch up the trend of quality growth as mentioned earlier, not only they become prosperous but also their members will be highly benefited in terms of their economic and social lives. It is assumed that there are more than million cooperatives in Asia and the Pacific region. Out of them majority of cooperatives are agriculture in nature. Their contribution to the agricultural sector is learnt to be a lot. The non-agricultural cooperatives' contributions are no less important for making contributions to their national economy. However, irrespective of both the sectors are not without any constraints for moving ahead. Even the cooperative sector in Nepal is not exception with regard to the problems confronted. But it will have to make effort harder in the areas of capacity building of cooperatives in terms of financial and human resources and their mobilization, business transactions, sustainable agro-business activities, promotion of agro-industrial enterprises, more income generation activities for eradicating and preventing poverty, promotion of cooperative education and training in a large scale for members' active participation and better management, strict adoption of cooperative values and principles etc. These areas are found to have been very much crucial. It is really urgent to tactfully deal with them so that the cooperative movement will be strengthened. In these areas ideas can be mutually shared by the local and international participants in the forthcoming conference to be organized on the occasion of the International Year of Cooperatives, 2012. 2. Objectives The main objectives of organizing this conference are as fellows. a) Create understanding among the participants what steps they should take up to promote their cooperative business, b) Identify their roles in promoting every activity for enhancing their cooperatives, c) Identify the mechanism for building relation and coordination among stakeholders, d) Identify role of secondary, tertiary and national level cooperatives for strengthening cooperative sector as such, e) Sensitize needs of integration of gender equality and equity with cooperative activities, and f) Share experiences of local and international participants in context of expectation of IYC, 2012 dealing with contribution in poverty reduction, creation of full employment and social unification. 3. Title of the Programme "International Conference on Cooperative Trends and Development in Asia and the Pacific Region." 4. Programme Duration The conference will have its operation for 3 days- first two-days dealing with general topics and the last day there will be study visit program in selected cooperatives. Programme starting from 2-6 September, 2012. The tentative schedule of the Conference is as follows; September 2: Arrival of participants in Kathmandu September 3: International Conference September 4: Conference (contd.) September 5: Study Visit at Primary Cooperatives September 6: Sight Seeing Programme at Kathmandu Valley September 7: Departure of participants 5. Guidelines of Contents for the Programme The whole programme will be confined in framework of contents enclosed in Annex-1. 6. Venue The Conference will take place in the Hotel Annapurna, Darbarmarg Kathmandu which is in front of old palace and central point of Kathmandu City. For more details visit the website www.annapurna-hotel.com . 7. Hotel accommodation and travel arrangement It may be inconvenient for self-financing for the participation in the Conference but we have had constraints for meeting the funding for the conference. The participants will have to bear all costs in connection with their participation i.e travel costs to Kathmandu and back, boarding and lodging expenses. However, NCF/N will arrange a welcome dinner and lunches during the conference and study visit program and local transportation along with airport pick up and drop up facility. The rate as quoted by the Hotel is as follows; HERITAGE ROOM : DELUXE ROOM SINGLE Occupancy :US $ 80/- DOUBLE Occupancy: US $ 90/- SINGLE Occupancy: US $ 99/- DOUBLE Occupancy: US $ 109/- The above quoted room rates are plus taxes (10% service charge and 13% VAT extra) on BB per room per night basis. The price includes with Welcome Drinks upon arrival (non-alcoholic), Buffet Breakfast, Two 500 ml mineral water bottles everyday, Tea Coffee Maker in the rooms and Complimentary use of Fitness Center (Excluding Masseur Service). 8. Visa The participants must apply for visa to the Nepalese Embassy or consulate general office located in their respective countries or on arrival at airport in Kathmandu. (Indian citizens need their Identity Card or Passport to be presented an arrival/departure at the airport). 9. Resource Person For the deliberation in the Conference, Dr. Daman Prakash, Former Senior Consultant of ICA-AP and Director, Rural Development and Management Centre (Regd), who has vast knowledge in cooperative sector has preparing a working paper based on our guidelines. During the program country Statement will also be presented by each of the country's delegate. The guideline for the country paper is also attached in annex 2. 10. Participants There will be 100 participants as mentioned in the following: a) International Representatives - 20 b) Representatives of Tertiary Level Cooperatives - 15 c) Representatives of concerned agencies - 14 d) Representative of Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation and other Line Ministries - 15 e) Representation of Department of Cooperatives - 3 f) Representatives of National Cooperative Development Board - 3 g) Representatives of National Cooperative Federation of Nepal - 20 h) Others (Experts, Representatives of International Agencies - 10 12. Facilities a. General stationery with bag b. Teal/coffee c. Lunch d. Refreshment 13. Organizer a. National Cooperative Federation of Nepal (NCF/N) and b. Ministry of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation (MoCPA) 14. Expected Outcome a. Participants will be familiar with the cooperative movement b. They will enable to identify potential cooperatives based on business and services, management, financial soundness and maintenances of social responsibility. c. They will have understanding the necessary measures to be taken up for strengthening cooperatives. 15. Contact person for any information Please get in touch with the Mrs. Chitra Kumari Subba and visit our website www.ncfnepal.com.np from time to time for further information. Mrs. Chitra Kumari Subba Senior Manager National Cooperative Federation of Nepal G.P.O. Box: 11859, Bijulibazar, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 00977-1-4781510/4781697, Fax: 00977-1-4781326 E-mail: ncf@wlink.com.np, Website: www.ncfnepal.com.np
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