Quang Nam (VNA) – Howto build development plans for agricultural cooperatives was the main topic ofa workshop jointly held in the central province of Quang Nam on October 31 by theprovincial People’s Committee and the Netherlands-based agricultural organisationAgriterra.

The workshop was designed to findout solutions to enhance the operation efficiency and competitiveness ofcooperatives in the agricultural value chain.

Quang Nam is now home to 172 agriculturalcooperatives and one alliance of agricultural cooperatives. However, cooperativemembers lack comprehensive knowledge about cooperatives, especially the 2012 Lawon Cooperatives, while cooperatives management boards’ leadership and planning capacityremain weak.

In addition, local cooperatives arestill facing difficulties in getting access to markets and capital sources aswell as advanced machines and technologies.

Harm Haverkort, a representativeof Agriterra Vietnam, emphasised the need to set up a transparent and modernfinancial system to provide members with updated information.

He also suggested some solutions,such as offering preferential policies to encourage university graduates joincooperative management boards, organising training courses on productionplanning and marketing, and enhancing connections with businesses inprocessing, distribution and technology transfer.

Previously, experts from AgriterraVietnam paid fact-finding trips to cooperatives in Dien Ban town and Dai Locdistrict to offer consultancy on business strategies, marketing plans, branddevelopment, and basic financial management.

Founded 20 years ago by the Dutchfarmers association, Agriterra has become an international development organizationproviding support for cooperatives in terms of financial management, business administrationand development.-VNA