The Cooperative Development Agency (CDA)-Liberia and her partners over the weekend celebrated a day known as "International Cooperative Day" and this year's observance was in central Liberia, Gbarnga.
The day was celebrated under the global theme: "Coops Build A Better World." with the local slogan: Cooperatives, Togetherness; Cooperatives, Empowerment, and Cooperatives, Development.
The observance of the day was at the Gbarnga Administration Building, which brought together various farming and non-farming organizations along with some producers.
Giving the overview and importance of the ICD, the Registrar General of Cooperatives of Liberia, Regina Sorkan-Teah said the celebration aims to increase awareness of Cooperatives and highlights the contributions of Cooperative movements in resolving the major problems addressed by the United Nations and as part of efforts in strengthening and extending the partnerships between the international Cooperative movement and other actors.
Madam Sokan-Teah further noted that International Cooperative Day is intended to increase awareness of cooperatives and promote the movement's ideas of international solidarity, economic efficiency, equality, and world peace.
December 16, 1992, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the International Day of Cooperatives by Resolution 47/90 to be observed in July each year by all UN member countries.
"Through the cooperative Day, local, national, and global policymakers, civil society organizations, and the public, in general, can learn about the contribution of cooperatives to a secure future."
She, a decade on from the UN International year of cooperatives, which showcased the unique contribution of cooperatives to making the world a better place for farmers.
Additionally, Madam Sokan-Teah said the ICA invited operators everywhere to spread the word about how our human-centered business model, inspired by the cooperative values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equity, and solidarity, and the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility, and caring for others is building a better world.
Madam Teah called on the national government to give more attention to agriculture Cooperatives as they play a vital role in the creation of jobs and the socio-economic empowerment of local communities across Liberia.
Serving as keynote speaker, the Executive Director of the Liberia Environmental Protection Agency, Prof. Wilson K. Tarpeh admonished members of the Cooperative Development Agency of Liberia to continue to hold together.
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He believes that if they are working together it will help bring value to them as Cooperatives and promote the growth of agriculture Cooperatives.
The Executive Director of the Liberia Environmental Protection Agency cautioned members of the Liberia CDA to continuously advocate for cooperatives through the distribution of seeds and tools, construction of poultry and warehouses, and provision of Day old chicks to Liberia's rural farmers.
Established by an Act of the National Legislature in 1936, the Cooperative Development Agency (CDA) is to identify, mobilize, institutionally organize, transform, ultimately register, and regulate farm and non-farm grassroots individuals into viable cost-effective socio-economic cooperative entities.
