Experiences From Asias Rural Co-Operatives Workshop report 9: Annexure II: Abstracts of papers: 14. Rural co-operatives in Nepal

Experiences From Asias Rural Co-Operatives Workshop report 9

Annexure II

Abstracts of papers

		1. Rural Co-operatives in Asia: Issues in development
		2. Viable Co-operative models in Asia - Strategies for future development
		3. Experiences from Asias rural co-operatives
		4. Agricultural co-operatives in Korea
		6. Evolution of rural co-operative in Indonesia
		7. The agriculture co-operatives of Malaysia
		8. Rural co-operatives in Sri Lanka - Experiences, problems and prospects
		9. Development of rural co-operatives in Bangladesh
		10. Effectiveness of village-level primary agricultural co-operatives in selected Asian countries
		11. Prerequisites for co-operative success or criteria for genuine co-operative societies
		12. Integrated co-operatives a case of sugar co-operatives in Maharashtra
		13. The role of co-operatives in the process of structural adjustment: New challenges and ILOs approach
		14. Rural co-operatives in Nepal
		15. Capital, participation and co-operative performance: The importance of member equity stake
		16. Milk co-operatives in India

14. Rural co-operatives in Nepal

by Chhaya Datta Pandey

Agricultural co-operatives constitute more than 81.82% of the total co-operatives in Nepal. Co-operative Unions at the district and central levels as well as the National Federation are yet to be established.

Among the main activities of the co-operative societies are the sale of consumer goods and marketing of agricultural produce.

A high-level National Co-operative Development Board (NCDB) was constituted in 1991. The responsibilities of the NCDB included: (a) to work-out suitable policy guidelines and a new legislation relating to the co-operative movement, (b) to create the organisation structure of the movement from the village upward to the National level, and (c) to coordinate the activities of co-operatives all over the country.

A new Co-operative Act was promulgated in May 1992 and, the NCDB has already prepared the policy guide lines, draft co-operative rules, and model bye-laws of agricultural co-operatives.

In an effort to re-vitalize existing co-operatives, the NCDB launched a nation-wide campaign for carrying out detailed situation studies and solving their problems, particularly those relating to over-due loans, bad debts, embezzlements and reconciliation of accounts. The studies havealready been completed, and the final report is expected to come out shortly.

One of the important move currently on is toprepare for holding elections in all co-operatives. The elections are likely to be completed by mid-January 1993.