Ministry of Agriculture observes International Day of Cooperatives 2023 with workshop, mini expo in Cayo

Photo Credit: MAFSE

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The Ministry of Agriculture’s Department of Co-operatives is holding a workshop and a mini expo to celebrate International Day of Cooperatives 2023.

Forty-two people from 12 cooperatives and the Ministry of Agriculture are attending the workshop on Friday at the Cayo Welcome Center in San Ignacio, according to Registrar of Co-operatives Gareth Murillo.

“On Saturday, which is the official International Day of Cooperatives, we are going to have a short ceremony commemorating the day,” Murillo said.

“That ceremony will then be followed by a mini expo of cooperatives and other invited agencies to display and to sell their products and commodities.”

According to Murillo, cooperatives are a good way for small farmers to face the challenges posed by agriculture due to its benefits.

“A small producer or a small service provider on their own, they face very significant challenges,” Murillo said.

“These challenges can come when we speak of accessing capital. It comes when they have experiences with fluctuating commodity prices. Often times in farming the products are highly perishable in that the shelf life is very short. Of course, there are intensive labour requirements, and we all face the current climate change conditions at the moment.”

According to Murillo, cooperatives are open to any farmer, man or woman; but says there is no maximum or minimum of each.

“Cooperatives operate under certain legally agreed upon principles and values. The first principle has to do with voluntary and open membership,” Registrar Murillo said.

The International Day of Cooperatives activities were observed at Fort Cairns Market Plaza in Orange Walk last year.