Improving Institutional Capacity:
Strengthening Farmer Organizations in the OIC Member Countries
62
Table 20: Taxonomy of donor interventions to strengthen FO technical and managerial
capacity 88
Gap
Enabling Environment: Policy
advocacy
Technical assistance: Direct
outreach
Technical
capacity -
production
Assist national, regional and local farmers’
organizations to build professional and
financial knowledge and engage in
knowledge sharing with other members.
Support the formation of buying groups
so that farmers have access to cheaper/
available inputs.
Support “Farmer-to-Farmer” initiatives,
individual training and capacity
building initiatives that aim to increase
the technical skills of smallholder farmers.
Secure trade agreements for inputs –
especially in areas where access to inputs
is low.
Technical
capacity -
marketing
In policy dialogues, put emphasis on
social protection and market
regulation to build capacity of
smallholder farmers. There has also been
a shift away from rural market
liberalization.
Assist cooperative employees to join
trade unions, and assist trade unions to
establish cooperatives.
Help farmer organizations aggregate
their members’ produce to sell
collectively in order to improve the
bargaining power.
Provide technical, commercial and
financial support services.
Promote horizontal and vertical
integration of cooperatives.
Managerial
capacity
Encourage and advocate for FOs to
become autonomous and independent
– create an environment where
managerial capacity can be developed and
built.
Promote productivity, equality of
opportunity and rights of worker-
members
Work with social partners (employers’
and workers’ organizations) to create a
favorable climate for cooperative
development.
Advocate for regulations which improve
access to financial support
Provide hands-on training to farmers to
develop managerial capacity and
institutional capacity. Provide coaching
and mentorship on financial
management, evaluation, and
accountability. In some cases, software
and printed case studies have been
provided.
Undertake education and training and
invest in human resource development.
Provide credit facilities for farmers to
get inputs in a timely manner
Political
capacity
Advocate for the removal of
government control or ownership to a
large extent; allow farmer organizations to
maintain their autonomy
Develop partnerships with government
where appropriate
Assist FOs in conducting policy studies
and analysis and promote meetings to
forge common policy position
Carry out advocacy and lobbying
activities and support the monitoring of
policy implementations.
Represent cooperatives at the
international level and encourage
international collaboration
88 This figure is drawn from Dalberg experience in supporting international actors focused on farmer organization
development across Africa, Asia, and South America.