The Global Conference of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) to be held in New Delhi, India from 25 to 30 November 2024.

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• At the conference, Bhutanese Prime Minister outlined his gratitude for India’s support on Gelephu Mindfulness City as the biggest “co-operative project” in Bhutan.
• Theme: “Cooperatives Build Prosperity for All”

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Key Highlights from the ICA Global Conference in Delhi

• The Indian government aims to establish 2 lakh new Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in the next three years.
• The initiative aims to ensure that every village panchayat in India has a cooperative society, fostering rural development.
• The International year of Cooperatives 2025 will also be launched with the theme “Cooperative build a better world”.

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International Cooperative Alliance (ICA)

• The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) is a global organization that unites, represents, and serves cooperatives worldwide.
• The ICA was founded in 1895 in London, England, during the first Cooperative Congress. 
  • It is one of the oldest and largest non-governmental organizations globally.
• The ICA represents over 1 billion cooperative members and approximately 3 million cooperatives across the world.
• Objective: To promote the cooperative idea and to support the development of cooperatives worldwide.
• Membership: Comprises national cooperative organizations, international cooperative organizations, and individual cooperative societies.
  • The ICA has over 306 member organizations from 105 countries, spanning diverse economic sectors, including agriculture, banking, consumer goods, health, housing, fisheries, insurance, and industry.
  • Some notable members of ICA are IFFCO (Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited), KRIBHCO (Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited), Amul Dairy Cooperative, The Cooperative Group (UK), Groupe Crédit Mutuel (France), Coop Italia, WOCCU (World Council of Credit Unions), etc
• Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium.

International Cooperative Alliance Asia-Pacific (ICA-AP) and India’s Role

History and Establishment

• The ICA expanded into the Asia-Pacific region in 1960 with the establishment of the Regional Office and Education Centre (ROEC) in New Delhi, India.
• In 1957, Dr. G. Keler, a Swedish cooperative expert, conducted an exploratory tour across Asia, including India, to evaluate the potential for cooperative development.
  • Based on his findings, the ICA decided to establish its regional office in New Delhi. This decision was finalized at the Kuala Lumpur Conference in 1958.
• The office was officially inaugurated on November 14, 1960, by Jawaharlal Nehru, who emphasized the role of cooperatives in achieving rural development, self-reliance, and social equality.

Evolution of ICA-AP

• Initially, the office functioned as two separate entities: the Regional Office and the Education Centre.
  • In 1963, these entities merged to form a single institution.
• By 1990, the organization was renamed the International Cooperative Alliance Asia-Pacific (ICA-AP) to reflect its expanded scope, covering all of Asia and the Pacific.
• The ICA-AP office in New Delhi remains a central hub for cooperative activities in the region, focusing on capacity-building, technical assistance, and policy advocacy.

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India’s Contribution to ICA-AP and the Cooperative Movement

• The Indian government actively supports the cooperative model. 
  • In 2021, the Ministry of Cooperation was established to further strengthen the sector.
• Cooperatives in India contribute to various domains such as agriculture, banking, housing, and rural development.

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