KAMPALA, November 4, 2024 — GENEX Cooperative, Inc., a subsidiary of URUS Group in the United States, specialises in importing, distributing, and marketing cattle genetics and providing technical breeding services to farmers and technicians.
This year, GENEX commenced its new five-year USAID-funded Cooperative Development Activity in Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria, aimed at strengthening cooperatives to support climate-smart livestock systems.
“GENEX’s Climate Smart Cattle Cooperatives Activity [CCC] has identified 30 cooperative organisations in Kenya and Uganda that will receive support to become profitable, professional, and climate-smart businesses by September 2028,” the cooperative stated in a press release.
According to GENEX, the selected partner cooperatives are primarily located in the southwestern regions of Kenya and Uganda and focus on collecting and marketing milk from their members to local processors and traders.
However, the press release highlights that women and youth are underrepresented in cooperative activities, especially in decision-making roles concerning governance, leadership, and management.
“There is a lack of leadership skills within the elected boards to effectively guide their cattle cooperatives. Strategic planning is minimal, and there is no accurate data for leadership to make informed business decisions. Additionally, the use of digital technologies and relevant tools for record-keeping and reporting is limited,” it adds.
In terms of business and value services provided to members, GENEX reports several challenges: a limited range of value-added services, restricted access to financial resources, a need for improved herd management, feeding, and breeding practices to enhance productivity, and low utilization of cooperative infrastructure due to various factors.
“These challenges, among others, have led to the development of Cooperative Capacity Strengthening Plans, co-created by partner cooperative leaders and GENEX teams. These plans will serve as a guide for prioritizing efforts by the CCC project team and the cooperatives over the next twelve months,” GENEX stated.
https://thecooperator.news/usaid-commits-us90mln-to-strengthen-cooperative-development-globally/
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