The Alliance's Sectoral Organisations

International Co-operative Agricultural Organisation (ICAO)

The International Co-operative Agricultural Organisation (ICAO) is a sectoral organisation of the International Co-operative Alliance. It exists to safeguard the interests of its member organizations, to pursue research into the latest developments in the agricultural co-operative movement, to promote mutual understanding and economic collaboration between the agricultural co-operatives on the one hand and the farmer and other types of co-operatives (eg consumers', fisheries, insurance, housing, etc) on the other, both worldwide and at local level.

As a global organisation for agricultural co-operatives the ICAO has a number of goals:

To exchange experience on specific activity fields by hosting international meetings such as seminars and workshops;
To promote the establishment of agricultural co-operatives in developing countries in order to increase food security;
To improve the distribution of agricultural products;
To take concrete action for preserving the environment.
To promote and encourage agricultural cooperatives, especially in the developing countries and transitional economies, and help find assistance for their establishment, when requested.
To survey the problems which concern agricultural cooperatives in different countries and to make recommendations regarding potential solutions

For more information on the ICAO visit www.icao.coop

International Co-operative Banking Association (ICBA)

The International Co-operative Banking Association (ICBA) is a sectoral organisation of the International Co-operative Alliance. As a global organisation for co-operative banks it has four key aims:

To facilitate the promotion at the international and regional levels of the distinctive co-operative values of co-operative banks and of the advantages of using them over other banks;
To facilitate and encourage the exchange of information amongst members on key co-operative banking issues and foster inter-cooperation in the finding of solutions
To support regional committees and their members, individually or collectively with specific challenges;
To encourage inter-cooperation with other types of co-operatives and various bodies of the ICA.

For more information on the ICBA visit www.icba.coop

Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide (CCW)

Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide (CCW) is a sectoral organisation of the International Co-operative Alliance. As a global organisation for consumer owned co-operatives it has four key aims

Provide members with information on relevant issues;
Serve as a forum for the exchange of information and best practices between the members;
Facilitate discussions between members in view of potential co-operation;

To set the global strategy and co-ordinate and support the regional consumer co-operative sectoral structures in their work on all issues of relevance

For more information on CCW visit www.ccw.coop

International Co-operative Fisheries Organisation (ICFO)

The International Co-operative Fisheries Organisation (IFCO) is a sectoral organisation of the International Co-operative Alliance. As a global organisation for co-operatives in the fishing sector it has four key aims:

Creation of new co-operative fisheries organisations;
Promotion of co-operative training and education, including the production of educational material;
Exchange of technical information movements on a global basis.

For more information on ICFO visit www.icfo.coop

International Health Co-operative Organisation (IHCO)

The International Health Co-operative Organisation (IHCO) is a sectoral organisation of the International Co-operative Alliance. As a global organisation for co-operatives in the healthcare sector it has four key aims:

Provide a forum for the discussion and exchange of issues of relevant to its members;
Provide information to United Nations organisations, national governments, the media and the public about the nature and role of health co-operatives;
Promote the development of health co-operatives;
Collaborate with other sectoral organisations and thematic committees of the ICA.

For more information on IHCO visit www.ihco.coop to contact IHCO please visit here.

Co-operative Housing International

Co-operative Housing International is a sectoral organisation of the International Co-operative Alliance. As a global organisation for housing co-operatives it has three key aims:

To unite co operative and mutual self-help housing organisations around the globe through membership of Co-operative Housing International;
To represent the co operative and mutual self-help housing movement by supporting members at a local, regional and global level;
To serve our members by providing a forum for knowledge exchange.

For more information on ICA Housing visit www.housinginternational.coop

International Co-operative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF)

Originally established in 1922 as the insurance committee of the International Co-operative Alliance, The International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF) is a long established and unique global trade association representing cooperative and mutual insurers around the world. Its three key aims:

Promote the cooperative and mutual insurance sector globally;
Be a leader in providing information and services to members;
Represent the interests of the global cooperative and mutual insurance sector.

For more information on ICMIF visit www.icmif.org.

ICMIF is organised with an Asian and Oceania region, and with an Americas region.

Find the Asia and Oceania Association (AOA) of ICMIF at http://www.icmifasiaoceania.coop/
ICMIF Americas is to be found online at http://www.icmifamericas.org/

International Organisation of Industrial, Artisanal and Service Producers' Co-operatives (CICOPA)

The International Organisation of Industrial, Artisanal and Service Producers’ Cooperatives (CICOPA), is a sectoral organisation of the International Co-operative Alliance. As the global organisation for worker and producer cooperatives trading in sectors from construction and transport to arts and crafts, it has three key aims:

The promotion of work and production in a cooperative way;
The promotion of worker ownership as a specific type of enterprise and labour organisation;
The promotion of the cooperative movement in industrial, craft and service sectors.

For more information on CICOPA visit www.cicopa.coop