Co-operators from the Africa region attended a study tour programme in Japan to exchange information about the co-operative movements in the two regions.
The project was facilitated by the Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union (JCCU) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) through its Cooperatives Unit (COOP) and its office for Japan (ILO Tokyo).
Between 28 August and 6 September, Japan also hosted the 2017 edition of the African Cooperative Leaders’ Training Programme. The exchange programme brought together five co-operative leaders from Ghana, Swaziland, Kenya, and Nigeria, who were joined by Alliance Africa regional director Dr Chiyoge Sifa.
The study tour featured lectures and visits to Tokyo, as well as a public seminar co-organised with the ILO Office for Japan and the Japan Joint Committee of Co-operatives (JJC).
The event gave the African co-operative leaders the opportunity to hold presentations on the co-operative movement in the four different countries and what they had learnt from the Japanese co-operatives.
“I was impressed with how co-operatives support the activities of smallholder farmers with technology. This is an innovation in response to the rapid ageing of society. Having up-to-date and sector-specific co-operative legislation allows the co-operative sector to flourish, as is the case in Japan. This is something we need in Ghana,” said Samuel Addo OTOO, chief executive of Easy Investment Coop Credit Union, who took part in the exchange programme.
