Generating Rural Opportunities by Working with Cooperatives (GROW-Coop)

This activity seeks to expand rural livelihood opportunities and boost rural households’ incomes and overall socio-economic well-being, by facilitating the evolution of large, successful local cooperatives into local resource organizations (LROs) that will provide in-depth mentoring and capacity development support, as well as support participation in value chains, to fledgling and struggling micro and small agriculture-oriented cooperatives. The activity is part of the USAID/Philippines project “Economic Growth, Democracy and Governance with Equity” (EGDGE) Project which seeks to assist the Philippines to strengthen its path to self-reliance, improve democratic practices, and become a stable, middle-income country by 2040. Specifically, it supports the EGDGE Program’s goal of “economic development is made more inclusive” and the sub-objective of “environment for trade and investment is made more open and competitive.” By focusing on agri-based cooperatives, and aiming to undertake work on value chains, the activity works on the nexus of USAID’s emphasis on enterprise-driven development, together with the Agency’s locally-led development mandate under Local Works, and the Journey to Self-Reliance. The activity will also support the Philippine Government's 2017-2022 Philippine Development Plan (PDP), specifically, Chapters 8 (Expanding Economic Opportunities in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries) and 9 (Expanding Economic Opportunities in Industry and Services through Trabaho (work) at Negosyo (business)). The PDP includes objectives of increasing “access to economic opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives, and overseas Filipinos (OFs)... to reduce inequality and poverty,” as well as improved access to finance for MSMEs and cooperatives.