Iran Signs MOU with CYRDAP on Rural and Agricultural Development: Official

EghtesadOnline: Hossein Shirzad, the deputy of the agriculture minister and chairman of the board of Central Organization for Rural Cooperatives of Iran (CORC), in a kick-off meeting with Tevita Taginavulau, the director-general of Center on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CYRDAP), said CORC is ready and willing to cooperate with CYRDAP in the field of rural and agricultural development.

News ID: ۷۴۹۰۳۷

26 November 2019

Briefing the capacities and infrastructural facilities of rural and agricultural cooperatives, Shirzad implied since cooperatives are deeply rooted in the very nature of the Iranian culture, rural and agricultural affairs have been handling by cooperative enterprises over the centuries. Due to the efficient performance of the cooperative, it could be claimed that they are capable enough to reproduce social capital.

"Rural and agricultural cooperatives are the last ring of the state administrative chain that provides service to small scale farmers at the most remote villages. Presently, about 40% of fertilizers and 30% of pesticides are distributed among farmers by cooperatives nationwide. Providing microcredit and marketing assistance to the members are among the cooperative responsibilities toward the Iranian agricultural community that CORC is reinforcing them through adopting appropriate policies, supporting and supervising the rural and agricultural cooperatives.", the official said.

Confirming that using modern technologies including IoT(Internet for Things ) is an integral part of CORC's policies to support agro-cooperatives, Shirzad asserted that we are going to expand using new know-how through development of agro-startups and It- based transaction system for agro-crops.

"Iran's Rural and agricultural cooperatives are in the transition phase. Adopting a market-oriented approach necessitate to enhance international ties to access the emerging markets. Consequently, the mutual collaboration between CORC and CYRDAP would not only aids two parties to achieve grassroots empowerment but also boosts sharing knowledge and experience among different cooperatives, especially among member countries."

Tevita Taginavulau, also welcomed the suggestion of the official. The two parties are going to provide a draft of MOU to be signed between two organizations on holding training courses, participation in the CYRADP training courses and implanting the pilot project for improvement of the rural livelihood.

Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) is a regional, intergovernmental and autonomous organization. It was established on 6 July 1979 at the initiative of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations with support from several other UN bodies and donors. The Centre came into being to meet the felt needs of the developing countries at that time as an institution for promoting integrated rural development in the region.

From the original six members, CIRDAP has now grown up as a Centre of 15 member countries. The member-countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh (Host State), Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Lao, PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Operating through designated contact ministries and link institutions in member countries, CIRDAP promotes regional cooperation. It plays a supplementary and reinforcing role in supporting and furthering the effectiveness of integrated rural development programs in Asia and the Pacific.