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Open Letter

Message from IFAP on the occasion of the International Day of Cooperatives

July 5th 2008
Confronting Climate Change through Cooperative Enterprise

Cooperatives fulfill an indispensable function in stabilizing supplies, prices, and the economic development of rural economies in many countries throughout the world.

Agricultural cooperatives also enable farmers to implement continuous innovations and respond to evolving consumer needs and the needs of humanity, such as the reduction of greenhouse gases and facing climate change. Agricultural cooperatives play pioneer and visionary roles in producing high quality food at reasonable prices to meet the needs of people around the world, while taking on the challenge to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.

Agricultural cooperatives are leading the farm sector in innovations that are reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By creative cooperative wide best management practices, agricultural cooperatives are constantly evaluating their performance and enhancing their productivity, and as a result eliminating inefficiencies and associated greenhouse gas emissions.

Farmers are pooling their resources to create cooperative biogas facilities to capture methane to use in the generation of electricity, creating locally-produced renewable energy that substitutes fossil fuel. Biogas production from anaerobic digestion of manure and other farm waste is a very efficient and cost-effective way of reducing GHG emissions.

Agricultural cooperatives are on the forefront of adopting solar technologies to improve operational efficiency and reduce the impact on the environment. Farmer cooperatives are increasingly using energy efficient solar dryers for crops and grains. Other solar technologies being integrated include water heating, water pumping and the use of photovoltaic panels for the generation of electricity.

Farmer owned wind energy cooperatives are playing a leading role as well in the purchase of wind turbines and the generation of electricity. Wind power is a clean, renewable form of energy that produces no carbon dioxide during operation.

IFAP encourages farmers around the world to form and to join agricultural cooperatives to enjoy the diverse benefits they offer, including the ability to incorporate innovative practices that reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.

Click here for more information about the IFAP Committee on Agricultural Cooperatives

Brochure

Neil SORENSEN

Communications Coordinator

Email:

neil.sorensen@ifap.org

Jessica GOODFELLOW

Communications Officer

E-mail:

jessica.goodfellow@ifap.org

Phone:+33 1 45 26 05 53       Fax: +33 1 48 74 72 12

Vision and Mission

IFAP is the world farmers’ organisation representing over 600 million farm families grouped in 120 national organisations in 79 countries.


It is a global network in which farmers from industrialised and developing countries exchange concerns and set common priorities.

IFAP advocates farmers’ interests at the international level since 1946 and has General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.