Cooperative Development in Irish Potato (CODEPO) After Agriterra revised its intervention strategy by putting more focus on improving farmers’ cooperatives’ “economic capacities”, the CODEPO approach was designed and implemented in 2016 and 2017 and this approach will be continued in 2018. Irish potato is among the most profitable crops in Rwanda and many cooperatives are involved in the Irish potato value chains, especially in seeds and the production of consumption potatoes. However, these cooperatives are often particularly small in terms of members in comparison with other value chains. In collaboration with IMBARAGA, Agriterra expects to be able to support ten to fifteen potato cooperatives in an efficient manner in order to assist them to become flourishing commercial cooperatives with extended membership bases.

Existing portfolio of Irish potato cooperatives:
        Name
   
      Type
   
      Members
   
      Activity
   
      Share value
   
      Common land
   
      Total area
   
      BHAG
   
          KOUSHI
   
      Cooperative
   
      41
   
      Ware potato production (Kinigi)
   
      20,000 
   
      1.5 ha (rented)
   
      10 ha
   
      Start seed multiplication and build storage
   
          IMYUGARIRO
   
      Cooperative
   
      92
   
      Ware potato production
   
      220,000
   
      2 ha (rented)
   
      Storage (done) and start seed multiplication
   
          ICYEREKEZO
   
      Cooperative 
   
      11
   
      Seed multiplication (pre-basic à certified) (Kinigi)
   
      180,000
   
      2 ha (rented)
   
      Increasing production from 17 tons to 50 tons per ha before 2020 and   building a ware house
   
          COAPB
   
      Cooperative
   
      68
   
      Ware potato production and PCC (Peko)
   
      130,000
   
          DUTERIMBERE
   
      GPS
   
      22
   
      Seed multiplication and ware potato production (Peko)
   
      5,000
   
          CAMS
   
      Cooperative
   
      23
   
      Seed multiplication, ware potato production (Peko) and PCC
   
      190,000
   
      2 ha (rented, four plots)
   
      Build warehouse for seed potatoes and build a warehouse for ware   potatoes.
   
          RUBIRA
   
      GPS
   
      18
   
      Seed multiplication (pre-basic à certified) and ware potato production (-58)
   
      1 ha (rented)
   
      Become certified multipliers, build green house for minitubers, build   warehouse
   
          KAMPANGA 
   
      Cooperative
   
      24
   
      Seed multiplication
   
   
      55,000
   
      4 ha 
   
      Becoming the referral quality seed potato supplier in Musanze 
   
          COAPAI
   
      Cooperative
   
      15
   
      Seed multiplication, ware potato production and PCC
   
      1,300,000
   
      Start selling agro-inputs, become best supplier of seeds
   
          Inyenyeri 
   y’ubuzima Kinoni
   
      125
   
      Ware potato production and PCC
   
      2 ha (owned) and 3 ha (rented)
   
      Increasing owned land from 2 to 5 ha before 2022, invest in office,   warehouse and truck
   
   
In addition to the existing portfolio, the business advisors involved in this project are requested to identify, scope and assess a number of potential cooperatives to be added to the portfolio. Preferably these new clients will have a membership base of at least 100 members, an ambitious board of directors and preferably a manager and an accountant on the payroll. Agriterra expects to total size of the portfolio to reach 15 cooperatives by mid-2018.

        No.
   
      Activity
   
      Indicator
   
      Person
   
      Date
   
          1
   
      Sign contracts with 10 selected cooperatives based on annual action   plans
   
      10 contracts signed
   
      Business advisor
   
      2018 Q1
   
          2
   
      Manage Agriterra budget allocated to selected cooperatives
   
      Proofs of transfer to cooperatives
   
      Business advisor
   
      2018
   
          3
   
      Execute Agriterra’s scoping exercise for potential new client cooperatives   
   
      5-10 new scoping documents 
   
      Business advisor
   
      2018
   Q1 
   
          4
   
      Analyze and select the cooperatives with the highest growth potential   with Agriterra
   
      2-5 new client cooperatives selected in total
   
      Business advisor
   
      2018
   Q1 & Q2
   
          5
   
      Sign contracts with approximately 5 new potato cooperatives
   
      Approximately 5 additional contracts signed
   
      Business advisor
   
      2018
   Q2
   
          6
   
      Assist all selected cooperatives to write ambitious but realistic   business plans
   
      Business plans developed 
   
      Business advisor
   
      2018
   
          7
   
      Assist all selected cooperatives to address weaknesses in governance   and management - coaching
   
      Customized coaching trajectory per cooperative
   
      Business advisor
   
      2018
   
          8
   
      Receive Agripool cooperative experts and join them on specific   cooperative advisory missions
   
      6 agripool cooperative missions
   
      Business advisor
   
      2018
   
          9
   
      Assist selected GPSs to be registered as formal cooperatives 
   
      Registration certificates 
   
      Business advisor
   
      2018
   
          10
   
      Link clients to stakeholders (banks, SACCOs, donors, buyers,   suppliers)
   
      Report on created linkages and results
   
      Business advisor
   
      2018
   
          11
   
      Training on financial management (use of accounting books + financial   statements) 
   
      1 training given
   
      Financial management advisor 
   
      2018
          12
   
      Frequent coaching on bookkeeping
   
      Monthly update reports
   
      Financial management advisor
   
      2018
   
          13
   
      Multi-stakeholder workshop on quality control standards and   certification in seed potato
   
      1 workshop organized
   
      Business advisor
   
      2018 Q2
   
          14
   
      Financial and narrative reporting
   
      Project report, action plan report, project audit and institutional   audit.
   
      Business advisor
   
      2018 Q4
   
   


The general objective for the CODEPO project is the strengthening of the farmer-led businesses selected in the project in their efforts to realise their Big Hairy Audacious Goals related to their functioning as cooperatives operating in the economic interest of their members.