In a major step towards advancing farmer-led development in Asia, Heifer International Asia, in partnership with the International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP), officially launched the ‘Seeding Strength: Empowering Farmer Cooperatives’ campaign on July 9, 2025.
Unveiled at a virtual event that drew over 170 participants from across Asia, the campaign aims to raise awareness about the transformative role of agricultural cooperatives in uplifting rural livelihoods and promoting sustainable agriculture. It is part of the second phase of the Financial Framework Partnership Agreement between ICA and the European Union.
Coinciding with the United Nations-declared International Year of Cooperatives 2025, the campaign focuses on success stories and models from India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Nepal. At its core, ‘Seeding Strength’ emphasizes the power of collective action through cooperatives—particularly for smallholder farmers, to build resilience, enhance food systems, and support environmentally sustainable development.
Neena Joshi, Senior Vice President for Asia Programs at Heifer International, set the tone in her keynote address by highlighting how cooperatives empower farmers by giving them a stronger voice and more negotiating power. She stressed the shift in Heifer’s strategy, from working with individual families to addressing systemic barriers that hinder smallholder prosperity.
Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director of ICA-AP, echoed these sentiments, stating that farmer cooperatives represent a “triple bottom line” model, serving people, planet, and prosperity. By pooling resources and working democratically, cooperatives become powerful vehicles for rural transformation. “The future of agriculture lies not in the hands of a few giants, but in the joint hands of many,” he remarked.
Aziz Arya from the FAO called for increased investment and stronger cross-sector collaboration to amplify the role of cooperatives in eradicating poverty and hunger, aligned with SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).
A key highlight of the event was the moving testimony of Tulsi Thapa, President of Bihani Social Entrepreneurs Women Cooperative and a senior member of SEWA Nepal. She recounted her transformation from a smallholder farmer to a cooperative leader and called on policymakers to support cooperatives through better access to finance, technology, insurance, and markets. “Cooperatives are the spinal cord of rural development,” she said.
A vibrant panel discussion, “Building a Better World: How Farmer Cooperatives Drive Equity, Access, and Sustainability,” brought together speakers from diverse organizations such as the Social Entrepreneurs Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (Cambodia), Asia Farmer Association, Heifer Bangladesh, and BBSSL (India). These discussions showcased real-world examples of cooperatives driving community empowerment, inclusive growth, and climate resilience.
The campaign, which will continue through September 2025, aims to mobilize governments, donors, academia, media, and the private sector to recognize and invest in cooperative-led solutions. By telling powerful stories and engaging stakeholders through webinars and forums, ‘Seeding Strength’ aspires to build a unified regional movement that positions farmers not just as food producers, but as changemakers shaping a fairer and more resilient future.
