In December 2023, after five years in operation, the Development Program for Inclusive and Sustainable Model Cooperatives (PROCED) took its final bow, with closing ceremonies held in all three of the host countries for the program: Senegal, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
The primary goal of PROCED was to help form cooperatives that are inclusive and sustainable so they can serve as models within their economic sectors. For the partners, representatives and beneficiaries that were involved in PROCED, the ceremonies provided a chance to hear the many success stories that have come out of the initiative and all the work that was accomplished over the past five years.
Honey and housing in Senegal
PROCED’s activities in Senegal focused on two main areas: cooperative housing and the honey value chain. Attendees at the closing ceremonies learned about the results PROCED achieved in both areas, particularly the strides made in empowering women, building capacity within cooperatives and creating good jobs.
Workshops were also held where participants could share their experiences with the project and give stakeholders an opportunity to formally sign on to support the co-ops beyond the end of the initiative. This will help the co-ops build on the gains they have made, ensure that their accomplishments have a sustainable impact, and address the aspects of their governance that are still fragile.
Learn more about PROCED’s work on cooperative housing in Senegal (In French only)!
Cocoa and cashew co-ops in Côte d’Ivoire off to a strong start
In Côte d’Ivoire, closing workshops were held in the various regions in which the project took place, as well as in Abidjan, the country’s economic capital. Again, the teams and partners involved in PROCED got to celebrate the major successes of the project, which helped to improve the living conditions of more than 8,000 members of two cooperatives that operate in major Ivorian value chains: FAHO, a cocoa co-op, and UCONAKO, a cashew co-op.
“The PROCED project in Côte d’Ivoire was a smashing success. Thanks to our teams’ work, we were able to hit all our targets, particularly with respect to reducing poverty and increasing women’s empowerment.” – Alexandre Robitaille-Lachance, SOCODEVI Country Director for Côte d’Ivoire
“PROCED may be coming to a close, but given that Côte d’Ivoire is the world’s number one producer of cocoa and cashews, we will continue to follow the country’s journey in agricultural development very closely.” – His Excellency Anderson Blanc, Ambassador of Canada to Côte d’Ivoire
Check out this video (in French only) for some highlights of PROCED’s work in Côte d’Ivoire!
A rice-ing star among Ghana co-ops
The events in PROCED’s host countries concluded in Ghana, where partners and representatives gathered to celebrate the impact that the project has had. This includes the creation of the BBN Cooperative Union, an exemplary 1,256-member-strong women’s cooperative that has made a name for itself in rice harvesting, processing and marketing. SOCODEVI also provided new technology to make the co-op’s work easier.
The teams on this project have so much to be proud of! Because of their work, the women in the co-op have greater power within their households and strong practices in place for adapting to climate change.
Learn more about PROCED’s impact in Ghana!
PROCED was funded by Global Affairs Canada with a budget of $18.2 million.