How Can Cooperatives Accelerate SDG Progress for Smallholder Farmers?

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As we approach the midpoint of our journey through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, our collective progress toward building a sustainable future is waning.

Should our trajectory remain unchanged, an alarming 574 million people are projected to be entrapped in poverty in 2030, while close to 670 million people are estimated to still be contending with hunger.

Among those most vulnerable are the world’s 500 million smallholder farmers. In many low- and middle-income countries, smallholder farmers, especially rural women producers, contend with a lack of capital resources, technical training, leadership opportunities and market access that result in heightened risk of hunger and employment instability.

In this context, farmer-run cooperatives can offer powerful solutions for building resilience and strengthening livelihoods for this critical population.

Historically vital to socioeconomic advancement, cooperatives have long been foundational to mitigating poverty and boosting food security. Through collective purchasing, selling and resource sharing, agricultural cooperatives and other types of farmer-producer organizations increase smallholder farmers' decision-making power, market access and productivity, integrating them into local economies and assisting their climb out of poverty. 

In a recent roundtable panel discussion moderated by Devex Senior Reporter Teresa Welsh , experts from Malawi, Nepal and Mexico shared professional insights to unpack the role of farmer-led cooperatives in fast-tracking sustainable growth, while bringing attention to obstacles. Watch the full discussion and read through the highlights below.

Key Takeaways:

• The critical importance of cooperatives as a vehicle for women's empowerment and the need to include men in activities intended to drive community development and gender equity. 
• The role of cooperatives in engaging youth to spark innovation and growth in agriculture, including through market access and technology.
• The need to enhance cooperative sustainability with strategic funding and investment models.

Optimism for What Lies Ahead

This roundtable spotlights agricultural cooperatives' power to uplift smallholder farmers and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.

In closing, panelists urged the donor community to recognize cooperatives as the best way to address the multifaceted challenges smallholder farmers face and provide tools for smallholders to transform over the long term, arguing that lasting endurance and autonomy can come from strategic investment in people.

As we strive to meet the 2030 Agenda, our united efforts take on heightened significance. We invite you to join the conversation — follow Heifer International on LinkedIn to stay connected for our future roundtable events.

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