AID grant no. PDC-0331-G-SS-6049-00 to Cooperative League of the USA to provide support to the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) International Division in initiating projects in developing countries that strengthen private cooperative business institutions

The project will help NCBA to continue its existing long-term projects in 14 countries, and to pursue its goal of 20 such projects. Specific activities under the grant will include the following. (1) NCBA will assess the role of P.L. 480/416 commodity support in the development of cooperatives, especially in the area of dairy development. To begin, NCBA will examine the potential for replicating the Indian "Anand Pattern" for dairy and oilseeds development in other countries. Within India, the possiblity of using commodity-based funding to expand the "Anand Pattern" to include a fruit and vegetable cooperative project will be assessed as well. (2) NCBA will also expand its cooperative training program, beginning with Latin American cooperatives. The component will include a Spanish-language training program (in collaboration with U.S. cooperatives), and provision for TA teams for short-term and on-the-job training. To develop new country programs, NCBA will explore possible opportunities in Africa (Guinea, Malawi, Mali, Senegal, and Zambia), Asia (Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Egypt, West Bank, and the several Pacific Island countries), and Latin America (Belize, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Eastern Caribbean countries). Though it has ongoing projects in India and Indonesia, NCBA will investigate new project opportunities in these countries as well.