The Coop Business School Celebrates its First Course in Partnership with a University

As global markets are constantly disrupted by environmental shocks, regulatory changes, and social and political conflicts, exports and internationalization can be a daunting task for many businesses, including cooperatives. To address this need, NCBA CLUSA's Cooperative Business School (CBS) in partnership with the University of Lima and Agroideas, a Peruvian government entity within the Ministry of Agriculture that promotes competitiveness of agricultural producers, offered a course to strengthen the capacity of cooperatives to access international markets with a focus on coffee and cacao. Participants gained key insights into regulatory aspects, cooperative management, market intelligence, access to finance, international business strategies, and strategic alliance management.

From June 12 to August 24, over 100 cooperative members and public officials participated in three introductory webinars, weekly sessions and group and individual tutorials. Many of the 37 cooperatives and some of public institutions, such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Production and the Institute for Life Without Drugs (DEVIDA)that participated are partners of NCBA CLUSA's Cooperative Ecosystems and Social Inclusion (CESI) project funded by USAID's Cooperative Development Program.

The course provided participants with tools to help their cooperatives compete efficiently in the global marketplace. The main objectives were to:

1. Understand the export regulatory framework and international regulations, in particular those of the European Union (EU).
2. Plan and execute international business strategies.
3. Manage international finances and manage risks associated with global trade, with special emphasis on the use of financial derivatives.
4. Promote strategic partnerships between cooperatives and actors in the agro-export sector.

The content was offered by professionals with extensive experience in agro-exports and international business and cooperatives, including the Agro-Export Manager of the Peruvian Association of Exporters (ADEX)Claudia Solano; Professors of Economics and International Business, University of Lima such as Augusto Mello, Pedro Ayala, William Arteaga, María Vera, Jacob Guzmán; NCBA CLUSA Peru Cooperative Development Program specialists; other specialists in market articulation and project development; and a representative of the Peruvian Procompite program, Leu Ybarhuen.

Of the 101 students, 60 successfully completed their course , reflecting a high level of commitment on the part of the participants, and the value of the programming. Students praised the usefulness of the information provided and skills they developed, as well as the dynamism and knowledge of the experts. "Thank you, I feel stronger, better prepared," wrote Magalli Bogo, member of the Ashaninka forest cooperative. Sara Delgado, a member of the INPROCAFE cooperative, highlighted the usefulness of the course in providing tools that go beyond theory: "This course has allowed us to explore innovation and technology as a means to stay competitive and continue generating value for our producers." Watch a video of a course student here

During the closing event, Augusto Mello, Professor of the International Business Program at the University of Lima, stressed the importance of continuing to strengthen the cooperative model: "The internationalization of cooperatives requires solid strategic management, based on a well-structured internationalization plan. This is the starting point to ensure a successful operation in global markets." Alfredo del Águila, representative of AGROIDEAS, highlighted the key role that his institution plays in supporting cooperatives through the co-financing of business plans. He invited organizations to apply for the incentives available to increase their competitiveness.

This course became the first in a shared training program between NCBA CLUSA's CBS and the University of Lima. The program is expected to continue in October with a new course focused on the development of strategic internationalization plans for cooperatives, so that they can access more markets and diversify their products. This joint effort helps advance the cooperative model in Peru by providing agricultural cooperatives with fundamental tools for their growth and sustainability in international markets that are more and more competitive.