Cooperation Among Cooperatives in Action Between Japan and Africa 10 Years of ILO/JCCU African Cooperative Leaders’ Study Tour
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Jap a n Study Tou r Cooperation among Cooperatives in Action between Japan and Africa 10 Years of ILO/JCCU African Cooperative Leaders’ Study Tour ilo.org International Labour Organization Route des Morillons 4 1211 Geneva 22 I L Switzerland O X Cooperation among Cooperatives in Action between Japan and Africa 10 Years of ILO/JCCU African Cooperative Leaders’ Study Tour X Tomohito Sasaki International Labour Organization (ILO) Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union (JCCU) Copyright © International Labour Organization 2021 First published 2021 Publications of the International Labour Office enjoy copyright under Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. Nevertheless, short excerpts from them may be reproduced without authorization, on condition that the source is indicated. For rights of reproduction or translation, application should be made to ILO Publishing (Rights and Licensing), International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland, or by email: [email protected]. The International Labour Office welcomes such applications. Libraries, institutions and other users registered with a reproduction rights organization may make copies in accordance with the licences issued to them for this purpose. Visit www.ifrro.org to find the reproduction rights organization in your country. ISBN: 978-92-2-034755-3 (print) ISBN: 978-92-2-033896-4 (web PDF) The designations employed in ILO publications, which are in conformity with United Nations practice, and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the International Labour Office concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. 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Code: SCR-REP X Contents ILO Foreword v JCCU Foreword vii Message from Embassy of the Republic of Kenya ix Acknowledgments xi Acronyms and Abbreviations xiii ILO – Japan “Co-operative” History 1 A Snapshot of the ILO/JCCU Study Tour 5 Roundtable discussion I 11 Roundtable discussion I-1: Everyone’s efforts, kindness and passion made the Study Tour a unique and long-lasting initiative 12 Mr. Haruyoshi Amano, Ms. Simel Esim, Mr. Guy Tchami and Ms. Yumi Nabeshima Message from the “Godfather” of the Study Tour 16 Mr. Jürgen Schwettmann Message from the “Uncle” recalling the infancy of the Study Tour 17 Mr. Philippe Vanhuynegem Roundtable discussion I-2: The Study Tour has changed the participants as well as Japanese cooperative movements. We should continue to encourage cooperatives’ self-help and solidarity 20 Mr. Haruyoshi Amano, Ms. Simel Esim, Mr. Guy Tchami and Ms. Yumi Nabeshima African cooperative leaders after the Study Tour 25 Progress toward a brighter future of the African cooperative movement 26 Ms. Sifa Chiyoge, 2017 participant Supporting cotton producers in Côte d'Ivoire 29 Mr. Kobenan Maurice Koffi, 2018 participant Beyond traditional SACCOs 31 Ms. Joan Susan Atuhurra, 2019 participant Grassroots efforts for dairy cooperative development 34 Mr. August Ernest Kimario, 2019 participant Cooperatives for sustainable societies - Study Tour Highlights 37 Cooperatives for sustainable societies 38 Promoting healthy communities 40 Health and Welfare Cooperative iv X Cooperation among Cooperatives in Action between Japan and Africa: 10 Years of ILO/JCCU African Cooperative Leaders’ Study Tour Cooperatives for youth 42 University Cooperative Delivering the best products to the members 44 Home Delivery Service Environmentally and socially friendly 46 Co-op Stores and Recycling Centres Mutual help among members to protect their livelihoods 48 Kokumin Kyosai co-op Financial inclusion for workers 50 Labour Bank Passing on KAGAWA’s cooperative spirit to the future 52 Kagawa Archives & Resource Center Providing comprehensive services to support farmers and community livelihoods 54 Japan Agricultural Co-operative Working together for sustainable communities 56 Workers' Cooperative What did participants do after the Study Tour? – 2015 Seminar in Dar es Salaam 59 2015 Seminar on the JCCU/ILO Study Tours for African Cooperative Leaders 60 Remembering Mr. Sam Mshiu 64 Roundtable discussion II 65 Bridging the ILO and Japanese cooperative movement 66 Ms. Satoko Horiuchi and Ms. Mina Waki Cooperation among Cooperatives: from Japanese cooperatives’ view point 71 Mr. Kenki Maeda and Mr. Osamu Nakano Cooperators’ Message 1 (National Association of Labour Banks) 75 Cooperators’ Message 2 (Kagawa Archives and Resource Center) 77 Ex-ILO Tokyo Director recalls the Study Tour (Ms. Akiko Taguchi) 78 Annex 81 Interview List 93 References 94 Further Readings on the Cooperative Movement 96 X ILO Foreword This retrospective booklet tells the story of a decade of collaboration between the Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union (JCCU) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) through the ILO/JCCU African Cooperative Leaders’ Study Tour Programme. Compared to other study tours, the ILO/JCCU study tour is unique both for its duration of ten days, and its continuity for ten years. This booklet reflects on the experiences of those who participated in the study tours across the past decade and includes messages from ILO/JCCU/JCA staff and highlights from roundtable discussions. In addition, it includes information on the ILO’s work on cooperative development, international and Japanese cooperative movements and the contributions of cooperatives toward achieving the SDGs. In 2020 the COVID-19 global pandemic and its economic and social implications resulted in unprece- dented uncertainty and growing inequalities. Historically, during such periods of crises, values of coop- eration, mutualism and self-help experience an increase in popularity. This time of crisis was no different. Cooperatives and wider social solidarity economy institutions stepped up to respond to the social needs of their members and communities. They also had to deal with the economic consequences of the crises in their own operations. For the first time in its decade-long history, the ILO/JCCU African Cooperative Leaders’ Study Tour Programme could not take place in 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The ILO’s Cooperatives Unit also marked its centennial in 2020 through a series of virtual activities. It is in recognizing the spirit of the time and in tribute to the ILO COOP centennial that JCCU and ILO decided to develop a retrospective booklet that takes stock of the lessons learned from the past study tours. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all JCCU and ILO colleagues involved in the ILO/JCCU African Cooperative Leaders’ Study Tour Programme. Without their engagement that demonstrates a strong commitment to cooperative principle six on “Cooperation among Cooperatives” the study tour would not have been possible. Mr. Tomohito Sasaki and Ms. Karen McCabe have drafted and edited this booklet in close collaboration with the ILO COOP Unit and Tokyo Office. A special thanks goes to all the participants in the study tour programme who actively engaged in the programme and applied their learning to advance cooperatives in their respective countries in Africa. This booklet attempts to capture the essence of the ILO/JCCU African Cooperative Leaders’ Study Tour Programme. Once the COVID-19 crisis is behind us, the JCCU and the ILO are committed to resuming the programme. It is our wish that the booklet will provide a good reference for those who may want to replicate this collaboration model between other countries and regions. We hope that this story about the unique and long-lasting collaboration between JCCU and ILO will serve as an inspiration for readers who wish to learn about Japanese and African cooperative movements. X Vic Van Vuuren, Director, Enterprise Department, ILO X Shinichi Takasaki, Director, ILO Office for Japan May 2021 X JCCU Foreword In 2010, the Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union (JCCU), in cooperation with the ILO’s Cooperatives Unit (COOP) and the ILO Office for Japan, began hosting a delegation of cooperative leaders from African countries for a study tour. Since then, we have hosted representatives from diverse cooperative move- ments from African countries every year, and in 2019, the study tour entered its 10th year, as the ILO celebrated its 100th anniversary. I consider it a great pleasure and honor to have been able to continue the joint projects with the ILO in this way. JCCU has been engaged in a variety of international exchange and cooperation activities, all of which are based on the principle “Cooperation among Cooperatives”. This study tour for African cooperative leaders is one of the initiatives that