Improving Institutional Capacity:
Strengthening Farmer Organizations in the OIC Member Countries
31
Table 6: Major Saudi Arabian policy interventions and their link to FO capacity challenges 42
Capacity Gap/Challenges Intervention
Technical: Production (Input
supply)
Provision of free seeds and fertilizer, collective irrigation and
storage facilities and the provision of technical and support
services
Technical: Marketing The development of export facilities and agricultural research
and development institutions
Institutional/Managerial
(Financial)
Provision of concessional, long-term interest-free loans.
Turkey
While Turkish laws are gender-neutral in terms of cooperative membership, the ratio of
women in total FO membership is very low. For example, there were only 14 women’s
cooperatives in 200443. In recent years, however, the government has taken a series of steps to
promote female membership in cooperatives. First, the Ministry of Industry and Trade44
moved to grant legal status to 70 women’s cooperatives (of which 28 were focused on
agriculture) and prepared a “strategic plan” to focus on the issues and problems specific to
women’s cooperatives. These efforts came alongside greater dialogue between the government
and the Foundation for Women’s Work (KEDV), an apex organization for women’s co-
operatives in Turkey45.
The government then conducted a training program for women farmers, covering a range of
topics related to cooperative development and membership advantages, and supported the
establishment of FOs with grants US$8m46. As a result, rural women established 29 FOs in
2011 alone (the latest available data). The Ministry of Industry and Trade later announced that
those cooperatives formed only by women would receive exemption from corporate tax and
duties, membership fees and notary fees, and be supported by the state through affordable
credit. Currently, 91 women’s cooperatives are registered and operating with more than
20,000 members47. The following capacity gaps faced by FOs, are addressed through the
government policy in Turkey:
42 This table summarizes and draws on the same sources cited in the preceding paragraphs
43 Duran, Aram Ekin, “Women's cooperatives to be legally recognized, Turkish ministry says,” Hurriyet Daily News, 14
January 2011
44 The responsible body for cooperatives is Ministry of Customs and Trade after 2011.
45 Ibid.
46 Okan, Nedret Durutan and Cunet Okan, “An overview of cooperatives in Turkey,” FAO Regional Office for Europe and
Central Asia: Policy Studies on Rural Transition 2013-3, 2013
47 Ibid.