The ILO, in partnership with the Cooperative Work Agency and funded by the Italian Agency of Development Cooperation (AICS), organized a Training of Trainers workshop on My.Coop to improve the management of agricultural cooperatives. The 21 women and men participating in the workshop included two members of the Cooperative Work Agency (CWA), 17 members from 15 different agricultural cooperatives from the West Bank including members of the Ministry of Agriculture and staff from ILO Jerusalem.

The training targeted board members and managers to enable them to design and deliver their own trainings using the My.COOP training modules in the future.

The TOT focused on management of agricultural cooperatives, designed to institute the main principles of cooperatives and to improve governance and management practices of the 15 cooperatives identified, CWA and the Ministry of agriculture in the occupied Palestinian territory.

At the closing ceremony of the workshopMr. Yousef Turk, Head of the Cooperative Work Agency, thanked the trainers, the donor and ILO for organizing and funding this important training. Mr Turk also thanked the trainees for their active engagement and full commitment and concluded saying “We all share the cooperative values, and we look forward to seeing you in action as trainers in the country.”

Mr. Guglielmo Giordano, Representative of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, stated that: “Young people account for a large percentage of the rural population, yet are often unemployed despite the need for young in the labour force, particularly in the agriculture sector. Rural youth do not perceive agriculture as a prestigious profession, and until they find meaningful economic opportunities and attractive environments in rural areas, they will continue to look for employment in the public sector”.

He added “investing in young people is therefore key to enhancing agricultural productivity and food security and boosting national economies. Agricultural cooperatives have proved to be an effective mechanism for engaging young people in agriculture while increasing youth employment opportunities through on-farm and off-/non-farm activities”. Mr Giordano also mentioned that the Italian Agency for Development is already funding a new project with a focus on sustainable agricultural practices, where women and men small-holders will be supported to increase their agricultural productivity, income, and climate resilience. He asked the trainees about their feedback on the training.

Mr Ahmad Khader Gohar, the Chairperson of Al-Nahda Cooperative in Abu Dies, Jerusalem, highlighted the importance of new concepts vis a vis management of cooperatives and solutions to challenges faced by agricultural cooperatives. He also expressed appreciation for the exchange of knowledge and experiences. Ms Sanaa Hanani, the Chairperson of Beit Foreek Cooperative in Nablus stated that the training gave them the opportunity to learn from others experiences and recommended conducting such training at the district level to give opportunity for other cooperatives to benefit.

Mr. Mounir Kleibo, Representative of the ILO in Jerusalem, noted in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals, “the ILO has been actively promoting the cooperative model as a means to achieve sustainable development. He concluded by saying that “The ILO believes the values and principles governing cooperative enterprises correspond to the priorities around environmental protection, economic development, and social equity.”