The partnership will focus on fostering an enabling environment for agricultural cooperatives across the region; promoting inclusive models of cooperative governance and social capital development; advancing climate-smart, regenerative, and nature-positive practices through cooperative platforms.
Heifer International in Asia and the International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP) signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) yesterday i.e. June 23 rd at the ICA-AP Regional Office in New Delhi. The collaboration aims to strengthen agricultural cooperatives and build inclusive, sustainable, and climate-resilient food systems across the Asia-Pacific region.
Formalized under the ICA-EU Financial Framework Partnership Agreement Phase 2, the MoU reflects a shared commitment to elevating smallholder farmers—especially women and youth—as stewards of agricultural transformation. Heifer and ICA-AP will combine their expertise, networks, and influence to promote cooperative-led development, support sustainable farming practices, and drive long-term systems change.
“The MoU with ICA-AP reinforces our commitment to strengthening agricultural cooperatives as powerful vehicles for change. When smallholder farmers—especially women—organize, they gain a voice, build collective strength, and unlock new opportunities. Together, we aim to create the enabling environments they need to lead resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems across Asia,” said Neena Joshi, Senior Vice President for Asia Programs, Heifer International.
The partnership will focus on fostering an enabling environment for agricultural cooperatives across the region; promoting inclusive models of cooperative governance and social capital development; advancing climate-smart, regenerative, and nature-positive practices through cooperative platforms; enhancing knowledge systems and generating data to support effective programming and increase policy influence; mobilizing and aligning resources for greater impact at scale and leveraging communication and storytelling to elevate the visibility, credibility, and influence of the parties (and their partners), including showcasing local leadership, innovation, and impact.
“Our cooperative movement has always stood for the empowerment of the marginalised and the underserved, particularly smallholder farmers who rely on cooperatives for access to quality seeds, inputs, and agricultural support. I believe that ICA-AP and Heifer International share a common mission: to uplift communities through collective action and sustainable solutions. As we deepen our partnership, I am confident that together we can make a significant impact across the Asia-Pacific region," said Dr. Chandrapal Singh Yadav, President, ICA Asia and Pacific.
Regional Awareness Campaign
As a key initiative under the MoU, Heifer and ICA-AP are launching a regional awareness campaign—“Seeding Strength: Empowering Farmer Cooperatives”—to commemorate the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives 2025. The campaign will spotlight how cooperatives in India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Nepal are enabling smallholder farmers to achieve living incomes, build social capital, and lead climate-smart agricultural practices.
“Campaigns like Seeding Strength play a vital role in amplifying the voices of smallholder farmers across Asia—voices that are often unheard, yet central to transforming our food systems. As we commemorate the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025, the Seeding Strength campaign shines a spotlight on how the cooperative model is unlocking social transformation, economic empowerment, and environmental stewardship. It’s time the world sees what’s possible when farmers lead,” said Gurpreet K Bhatia, Regional Communications Director – Asia, Heifer International.
The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Ms. Neena Joshi, Senior Vice President for Asia Programs, Heifer International; Ms. Gurpreet K Bhatia, Regional Communications Director – Asia, Heifer International; Ms. Rina Soni, Country Director, Passing Gifts Pvt. Ltd. (a subsidiary of Heifer International); Dr. Chandrapal Singh Yadav, President, ICA-AP; Ms. Savitri Singh, Deputy Chief Executive, National Cooperative Union of India; and members of the ICA-AP team.
