29 people from project counties, managers and leaders of farmer and herder cooperatives, gathered at the Cooperative Training Center at the Peilie School in Shandan, Gansu for training on cooperative management. The training included sessions explaining the cooperative law, how to apply democratic management practices, business planning, marketing and financial management. The session also highlighted the importance of strengthening the involvement of women in the operation of cooperatives. This session followed on from research supported by CCADP earlier this year and the international conference on the subject held in November with CCADP and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Cooperatives from which these managers came ranged from the 1,800 member strong Sankuaishi Pig Producers Cooperative in Zizhong county, Sichuan, to the yet-to-be-registered Jialepake Village Dairy Cattle Association from Xinjiang. The session proved a valuable opportunity for exchanging views and information between leaders of cooperatives. They found that they face a number of common challenges and problems, such as a lack of guidance and standards for financial management, uncertainty about their tax status, a shortage of operating capital and a lack of managerial talent.

The cooperative managers noted a great need for cooperative promoters to help their organizations grow, particularly in the areas of management, marketing, business planning and assisting them to develop and strengthen relationships with local government. They also suggested that experienced cooperative leaders, with appropriate training, could play a valuable role as promoters to assist other cooperatives.

This session was part of a series of training programs supported by CCADP, which has included training for local government officials (June 2006) and on-going training for Cooperative Promoters. The next training for Cooperative Promoters is scheduled for January 2008, and training for a new group of cooperative promoters is planned for February after the Spring Festival holiday.