World Coop Eco Forum set up to give voice to over 3mn co-ops across globe

Leading cooperative sector experts have joined hands to set up the World Cooperative Economic Forum (WCopEF) for giving voice to over three million cooperatives spread across the globe, employing 10 per cent of the total workforce worldwide.

The WCopEF will endeavour to promote cooperative thinking and cooperative movement, in addition to raising issues and concerns of the sector with the governments and other stakeholders around the globe.

"WCopEF journey is starting at the juncture of ideation of an equitable economy, tempered by pragmatism. We are transitioning to a new engagement with the international cooperative economic order," Dileep Bhai Shanghani, one of the founder members of the Forum, said in a statement. Shanghani, Chairman of the fertilizer major IFFCO and President of National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), had also earlier served as a member of parliament and a Minister in the Government of Gujarat.

The other founder members of the WCEF are Binod Anand, member MSP Committee on Agriculture Reforms, Dr. Rakesh Arrawatia, Professor Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and Ashish Anand, Founder Whrrl (www.WHR.loans). "WCopEF will bring together, for the first time, co-operators, social scientists, cooperative economists and policymakers and myriad other stakeholders to brainstorm about the Social and Solidarity economy," said Binod Anand.

The Forum, he added, "will generate actionable insights with a view to help stakeholders not just navigate but also shape the future of cooperative economy." There are around 300 largest cooperatives in the world, generating over USD 2.1 trillion in revenue and providing many essential goods and services. The WCopEF will aim to make cooperative policy thinking more collaborative towards building strong and prosperous communities in a fair and equitable world.

Among other things, the WCopEF will also transmit Indian cooperative learnings to shape global debates and policies. It will provide non-partisan, independent, well-researched analyses and inputs to sensitise decision-makers in governments, cooperative sector stakeholders, academia and civil society around the world.

The overarching objective will always be to promote cooperative movement across the globe for the benefit of all stakeholders, the statement added.