devinitorg/iati-policy-markers huggingface dataset:
Realizing packaged tea export to the Netherlands Tinjure Tea Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd. is a tea farmers primary cooperative (PC) with 230 members (17% women) located in Tinjure village, Ilam district. The organization is specialized in the collection, processing, and marketing of the fresh tea produced by their small-scale member farmers. Tinjure was founded in 1994 and is the oldest tea cooperative in the country. It has a small processing factory with a maximum capacity of 400 kg per day. In September 2016 Tinjure and the Dutch tea buyer Maas International expressed their interest to start an export program where Tinjure under the support of Agriterra and CTCF will export packaged 2-gram tea bags to the Netherlands. An start-up action plan was developed for the last 3 months of 2016. Major preparatory activities were implemented during this action plan such as Rainforest certification implementation plan, hiring of accountant, development of cost-breakdown for packaged tea, and test export of 20kg ready-made tea. The 2017 action plan is focussing on realization of the first shipment and total export of around 1000 kg packaged tea. The direct export to the Netherlands should become an example for other cooperatives in the country. Agriterra will provide training and capacity building on strengthening the cooperative and its business activities. The program will provide a practical learning trajectory on exporting tea for all stakeholders involved. This can bring significant development to the farmers and the region as the activities can be duplicated in the future.

The 2017 action plan is focussing on realization of the first shipment and total export of around 1000 kg packaged tea. The direct export to the Netherlands should become an example for other cooperatives in the country. Agriterra will provide training and capacity building on strengthening the cooperative and its business activities. The program will provide a practical learning trajectory on exporting tea for all stakeholders involved. This can bring significant development to the farmers and the region as the activities can be duplicated in the future.

The 2017 action plan is focussing on realization of the first shipment and total export of around 1000 kg packaged tea. The direct export to the Netherlands should become an example for other cooperatives in the country. Agriterra will provide training and capacity building on strengthening the cooperative and its business activities. The program will provide a practical learning trajectory on exporting tea for all stakeholders involved. This can bring significant development to the farmers and the region as the activities can be duplicated in the future.
Increased milk volumes The main challenge for Mumberes is to increase milk intake. In 2014, Mumberes showed a considerable increase in milk intake. For 2015, Mumberes registered an average of 9,350L/day. This is similar to an average 9,325L/day recorded in 2014. This means the target of 2,000L was not met! Even though, they were able to register a new record 13,500L/day, the challenge has consistently been maintaining seasonal fluctuations. This is the main focus for 2016.

Goals for 2016 therefore are:1. Increase Milk production from 10,000L to 15,000L 2. Professionalise governance in particular the youth council and get more young farmers into dairy farming in 2016 

The increased milk volumes must lead to better prices paid to members.

Activities as jointly identified with Mumberes for action plan 2016:

Increase Production - Employ 3rd extension officer - Train at least 1,000 members and reactivate the dormant members of the cooperative society; 80 farmers per month- Motivate farmers especially the modern farmers by organization of several field days, exchange visits (work with a calendar)- Conduct trainings on animal husbandry and specifically on Artificial insemination (AI)- Procure a silage making machine to be owned by the cooperative society and be leased to members 

Demo on hay production on 10 acre rented land.- Develop a project timeline schedule and closely monitor progress of the demo farm. Performance management- Review Strategic Plan. - Train the strategic plan monitoring and implementation committee and board which will comprise of 3-5 members Further strengthen the youth council - Train more youth on need to join youth council and dairy farming (topics; Sustainable dairy farming, Role of youth council/governance)- Elaborate by-laws governing the youth council.- Conduct a monthly headcount program on youths joining dairy farming.Further optimise evening collection (logistics)- Intensify evening milk collection routes - Monthly Follow up on recommendations based on Financial Health Check - Build capacity of local ICT officer to handle system administration management - To procure a system that is able to track milk and give real time report to the office Improve operations and capacity of the 2 milk bars 

Mission on professionalising the youth council

1. Increase Milk production from 10,000L to 15,000L 2. Professionalize youth council and get 40 young farmers into dairy farming in 2016
Taking financial services closer to the farmers through SACCO Agencies During the Strategic planning, Imenti SACCO committed to offering specialized financial services to the farmers. This was due to the increasing sustainability of the farmers supplying their milk to Meru Central Dairy Union. To achieve this objective, Imenti will focus on enhancing accessibility of financial services by opening agencies in the primary cooperatives so that the farmers can be able to access these key services in a cheap and more convenient way especially for those in the rural areas with no accessibility to the bank. 

Mapping all the dairy cooperatives that currently do not have a financial provider/SACCOEstablishment of SACCO Agency in atleast two primary cooperatives in Meru regionConduct Financial Literacy session to atleast 500 farmers from the cooperativesConduct a stakeholders event together with the Board of primary cooperativesReview the SP(Agriterra involved)Develop an annual BP based on the SP-guided by a consultantEngage 2 field officers to increase contact with membersDevelop an annual training program for the board and the staffConduct a training on Early warning signals and risk management to staffDevelop marketing materials for Agency BankingDevelop a risk registerBoard training on youth participation and succession planningFollow-up Governance plan of approachExchange visit

The key goal is to take affordable and efficient financial services to the farmers through establishment of Sacco Agency.
Improved human capabilities and governance leading to growth Dak Lak Provincial Cooperative Alliance established in 1993 and the first Congress in 1995. Currently, Dak Lak CA has 255 cooperatives operating; Including: 140 agricultural cooperatives; 33 industrial and small-scale industrial cooperatives; 37 cooperative trade services; 10 construction cooperatives; 24 transport cooperatives and 12 people's credit funds.1. Ambition (BHAG) (future) the Dak Lak Provincial Cooperative Alliance- Increase members- Increase Support to its members via other donors, INGOs, as Dak Lak is poor province with high number of ethnic minority population- Provide services and do business for income generation 2. Main challenges- Be limited by policies in governmental assets management- Lack of qualified staff in doing business- Limited qualification of existing staff in providing professional services to its members
For the last years,DLCA has tried to implement many various activities to provide services for existing Cooperatives and establishing new cooperatives in Dak Lak provinces.
DLCA developed the proposal on “Improved human capabilities and governance leading to growth”. DLCA would like to request Agriterra for its supporting to implement this proposal.

Business plan mission for consulting center of DLCA (July)Exchange visit of successful consulting center and Cooperative development Fund (July) TOT My.Coop (May and July)Rolling out My.coop (Aug, Sep, Oct)Implementation of Coops Development plan in Dak Lak province  (May - Dec)Coaching and advising Agriterra clients in Dak Lak in action plan 2018Review year results and action planning for 2019 (Sep-Dec)

DLCA should continue to improve the availability and quality of existing services (public services with goverment budget) to be capable to provide services tailor made paid by its members (credit and savings, acounting and finance management, marketing/market matching, governance....) through preparation of reforming Coop Development Fund Business strategy to be approved by the Local government; Rolling out Mycoop and Financial Management trainings.
Start up Impact@origin progam Tinjure Tea Cooperative produces high quality orthodox special tea and is seeking access to the European Market. MAAS International is a potential client for this premium tea and willing to invest in this cooperative and its products to create impact add origin: value additional at the cooperative level. This will create a win win situation for all parties; employment and investment opportunities in Nepal, a high quality product that can be exported and a special product for MAAS.
In September 2016, a company assessment was conducted by Agriterra and MAAS. Though Tinjure may not pass criteria of Agriterra, this unique opportunity with MAAS offers an excellent business case and AGriterra can offer its expertise in this trajectory supporting both MAAS and Tinjure. This action plan is related to the last quarter of 2016 and the main objective is to prepare Tinjure for the impact@origin trajectory. Focus will be on improving financial management, explore packaging options, improve quality and set up a track an trace system, business and marketing development, explore the certification options etc.

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Support Tinjure Tea Cooperative in getting ready for exporting high quality and certified tea to Netherlands in 2017 under the impact@origin trajectory of MAAS International.
Improving member commitment and marketing position of KDCU Kipkelion District Coffee Union (KDCU) was established in 2009 with the main goal to mill and market the members’ coffee. Effective lobby and advocacy on behalf of its 32 members cooperatives is also an important goal. In August 2016, the Company assessment was carried out and a positive advice was given to further support KDCU in achieving some of its goals. KDCU has a well prepared strategic plan for 2016-2020. The strategic objectives that were discussed for further support by Agriterra are: strengthen the marketing position by: 1. setting up a strong marketing department to implement the marketing plan; 2. getting a licence to the auction market (end of 2017); 3. Create business linkages resulting into international business deals (2018).  A strong marketing position requires a strong board and management that further professionalise their business. Governance and strategic FM are well placed. In order to improve the lobby and advocacy capacity, FACT trajectory will start initially focussing on the union board members.

- Make a BP for KDCU on milling meeting all international standards, operational manual to be updated
- Make a Marketing Business Plan for the KDCU 
- Marketing training to BoD and key staff of KDCU, establish a marketing unit/department
- Recruit a capable Marketing and Business Development (MBD) officer based on JD and fair recruitment process
- FACT workshop - Lobby and Advocacy skills
- Cooperative Governance training 
- Financial Management training
- Improving the quality of coffee beans -&gt; higher added value (e.g. branding AA quality beans)
 Improving transparency of payment structure-&gt; higher involvement of the farmers Attracting younger farmers / more female farmers (continuity) Improving the quality of the ICT-systems of the 32 unions and the integration of it on union level (i.e. Management Information System Investigate the opportunities and difficulties about direct export to Europe, USA and Asia (foundation for farmers, education)KDCU can create a much stronger market by buying and selling green beans of all the 32 societies, now the supply is fragmented because the farmers / societies sell the beans themselve

To strengthen Kipkelion's marketing position. Increase membership commitment by 10%
Establishment of a milk processing plant In order to pursue the ambition to start up an own processing plant for pasteurising milk, in 2013 Kiambaa first conducted a feasibility study.

The conclusion of the study was that the development of a milk processing plant in the plot No. Kiambu/Thindigua/1065 (where currently Kiambaa has it’s cooling tanks, but also a parking lot and car wash) is technically and economically feasible.

Subsequently, a business plan was drafted. During the AGM of 30 October 2013, members agreed to continue the project of the processing plant and approved the resolution to increase packing shares with an additional 250 KES a month as from November 2013. This contribution together with other funds from Society operations shall be utilised to pay the plant loan.

Agriterra will support the improvement of the business plan and the implementation of the plan, including advice on plant design, negotiating with financers, technical support etc.

Establishment of a milk processing plant
Financially sustaining organisation providing profitable agribusiness services Chadiza District Farmers Association (CDFA) was formed in 1998 and the Association was officially registered on 9th May, 2005 with the Registrar of Societies under the laws of Zambia. There are 13 Board Members in the Association, among the Board Members.  The association decided to develop and submit a concept to United States Development of Africa – USADF to process cooking oil from sunflower which they have been funded.This has helped them develop a business and are in cake and cooking oil business. This business has been running since 2015 and showing signs of financial independence from the side of the association.


The association has also acquired a tractor and light truck under the same USADF funding programme. This is meant to diversify the business and also increase income and sustainability of the association.
The desire by the association to diverse their income sources as a way of on increasing their capital base and reducing on donor dependency. The association also realizes the need to increase its membership base as it has an impact on their revenue, however the association sees the need to provide more membership services to its members as a way of proving its relevance need for members to affiliate.        

To diversify the tractor business and also increase income and sustainability of the association. A financially self-sustaining organisation providing quality services to 4,750 members towards a profitable agribusiness, by focusing on improved crop production, promoting mixed-farming and improved marketing of produce from their members. They also want to improve the sunflower business in terms of increased access to raw materials, production of quality raw materials and increase in quantities.
Kick-starting the new business activities Kisoro Potato Union has changed its BHAG in 2017. Originally the BHAG concerned supplying the potato processing factory in Kisoro, but after this factory stopped its activities, Kisoro developed a new business plan. The BHAG of this new business plan is to aggregate potatoes on union level and market them in Kampala. Agriterra has supported Kisoro Potato Union in developing the business plan and this project has the intention to support the union in kick-starting the business activities.

The project plan for Kisoro Union concerns the kick-starting of the marketing activities of the Kisoro-potatoes in Kampala. Potato Growing has been the mainstay of the people of South-western Uganda (Kisoro and Kabale Districts). In the past several years more than 570.000 MT has been registered as annual production from the two districts out of a total national production of 630.000 TM. Within these districts 12 potato cooperatives have formed the Kisoro Potato Growers Union. The union has been supported by Agriterra in the development of a new business plan, after the original business activity became obsolete after the main buyer, a french fries factory, stopped its activities. This project plan gives substance to the new business case, with a number of activities focused on reengaging the cooperatives and the individual members to the union, with as main motivational argument the economic self-interest of the members which will be best served by aligning themselves with the new business case.

Kick-starting the new business of Kisoro potato union. NB: The union will be included in the portfolio of Agriterra Great Lakes.
Preparation for the Launch Own Dairy Brand in the Market-sweeta Olkalou Dairy(2016) ltd is a public Ltd Company fully owned and led by farmers. The Company has currently developed a 3 year Strategic plan which focus is to transform the business model from milk collection and chilling into a milk processor and at the same time double the milk intake from the current average of 50.000 litres/day to 100.000litres a day in the next three years (goal 2020 is 100.000 liters/day) . 
To achieve this,the Company seeks to engage the services of a Co-packer(Cooperative) in order to launch its brand in the market. After successfully launching the product,Olkalou will mobilize capital to invest in own factory plant in order to further increase the reliability of their brand in the market. This 2018 action plan therefore focuses on establishing a long term marketing strategy for Olkalou in order to ensure a successful brand introduction to the market by the end of 2018.

           Business
   Hiring   Marketing Officers
   Enable the   oragnization to set a ground for establisment of own brand in the market
       Business
   Brand   Design Developing
   A   brand created and secured
       Business
   Marketing/promotional   material:banners,posters for the distributors, Branded   Thirts&caps,branding the offices
   Development   of Marketing Materials that will ensure successful launch of own brand in the   market
       Organisational Development
   2days   training and team building activity with the board and Management Staff
   Enhance   team cohesion and mutual understanding between the Board and the management   team
       Organisational Development
   Exchange   visit Kiambaa/Meru Dairy for an exposure visit
   The   board to get challenged to change their mindset concerning moving into   processing
        
   Services 
   Advice
    
       Production
   Developing   a Marketing Strategy
   A   longterm Marketing Strategy in place for effective launch of the own Brand
   Event:   Training 
    
       Governance
   Governance
   A   clear understanding of the Roles and Responsibilities of the Board and the   staff
       Financial management
   FM   Training
   Improve   Effective communication of Financial Information between the Board and the   Financial Staff
   Event: Exchange   visit
    
       Organisational Development
   Exchange   visit Kiambaa or Meru Dairy
   The board to   get challenged to change their mindset concerning moving into processing
  

Long term goal is to increase daily milk intake from 50.000 l/day to 100.000 l/day at the end of 2020; and process at least 50% of the milk into processed milk (pasteurisation) .
Short term goal: Improve the marketing and branding of processed milk in 2018, to proof that Olkaloau can enter the processed milk market as a player and get ready for investing on more processing facilities in 2019.
Governance and leadership - Africa Governance and leadership are the heart and motor of cooperatives. That is why Agriterra developed several products and trainings on this topic:
  
•       Cooperative Governance training
  
•       Supervisory board training
  
•       Member commitment
  
•       Gender & female leadership
  
•       Youth
  
•       HR management 

Strengthened governance and leadership of farmer organisations and cooperatives in East Africa

Strengthened governance and leadership of farmer organisations and cooperatives in East Africa
Setup farmers service center and professionalizing the union and PCs leadership practice The union have different future business ambition like, warehouse construction, fulfill the transport facilities, building farmers’ service center and establish food complex plant and PP bag factory. However, the feasibility study are not conducted yet. Besides of this there are some activity need improvement specially in digitalizing the financial management system, there are no formal HR policies or manuals in place. Even though, the union have giant buyers not fully address their demand and some of PCs were not engaged in output marketing etc. The focus of Agriterra at this union gird towards optimizing the union output marketing performance, assisting the union to establish farmers’ service center and improving and further exploration of value addition options.



1. Strengthening the union and developing full-fledged human resource policy manual and improving staff capacity2. Improving the union financial management practice by using Peachtree software3. Capacitating the top ten primary cooperatives by providing training and hiring 10 professional  managers for primary cooperatives 4. Output marketing increased at least by 25%, output marketing of 33,600 quintal maize, 30,000 quintal wheat, 2500 quintal Teff, and 7000 quintal Haricot  in 20165. Setup farmers service center
Building Lobby Capacity (FACT) in East Africa Agriterra is actively involved in the promotion of farmers organizations’ lobby and advocacy work in developing countries through its Farmers Advocacy Consultation Tool (FACT). One of Agriterra’s key objectives is to increase farmers’ influence towards key decision makers with respect to a better enabling environment for farmers to strengthen their position in the sector. 
Agriterra is building the lobbying capacity of Federations and Unions in East Africa using the FACT-methodology. Through the FACT-methodology, the capacity of these farmer organisations is strengthened to raise key lobbying issues to decision-makers in the interest of their members.

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The capacity of farmer organisations in East Africa are strengthened to raise key lobbying issues to decision-makers in the interest of their members.