This memorandum of understanding establishes a partnership between the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to promote and strengthen farmers', fisherfolk, and rural women's cooperatives. Key areas of cooperation include identifying and consolidating cooperatives, providing capacity building and training, documenting best practices, and ensuring cooperatives are prioritized in DA support services. The goal is to facilitate cooperatives' access to resources and markets to empower local communities and support agricultural development. Both agencies will closely coordinate to implement partnership activities.

1. DA – CDA
MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING
Prepared by:
Sr CDS Jackie de Leon
CDA Dagupan Extension Office

2. CDA
DA
Orlando R. Ravanera
Chairman
Emmanuel F. Pinol
Secretary
Signed on: JANUARY 11, 2017 @
QUEZON CITY

3. RATIONALE
The CDA as the lead agency of cooperative
development and mandated by law to promote the
viability and growth of cooperatives as instruments of
equity, social justice and economic development;
The DA is the government agency responsible for the
promotion of agricultural development by providing
the policy framework, public investment and support
services needed for domestic and export-oriented
business enterprises

4. RATIONALE
The DA under Section 3 of Republic Act 8435
or the Agriculture and Fishery Modernization
Act, aims to promote people’s empowerment by
strengthening people’s organization,
cooperative and NGOs by establishing and
improving mechanisms and process for their
participation in government decision-making
and implementation;

5. RATIONALE
Both the DA and CDA recognize the
cooperatives of farmers, fisherfolks and
rural women play a significant role on
economic development in rural areas to
harness local skills & resources to uplift
the local economy living standards.

6. RATIONALE
Both the DA and CDA recognize that there
is a need to establish a collaborative and
integrated approach in strengthening the
cooperatives as partners of development
agencies and stakeholders in the provision
of delivery of support services to farmers,
fisherfolks and rural women,

7. PURPOSE
To establish a partnership arrangement to
identify areas of collaboration that would
promote and enhance the capability of farmers,
fisherfolks and rural women through
cooperatives to facilitate access to resources,
information, knowledge and extension services,
markets and productive assets and policy and
decision-making in the agriculture and fishery
section.

8. AREAS OF
C
O
O
P
E
R
A
T
I
O
N
o Identification and consolidation of
cooperatives by farmers, fisherfolks
and rural women in their Agri-
Fishery enterprises necessary to
achieve economies of scale;
o Identification and implementation
of capacity building and training
activities for members of the
cooperative, thereby enhancing
their ability to better plan, manage,
organize and execute their
activities;

9. AREAS OF
C
O
O
P
E
R
A
T
I
O
N
o Development and enhancement
of the core competencies of
members and officers of the
cooperatives through appropriate
trainings;
• Joint planning, coordination and
implementation of relevant
seminars, trainings, short
courses, technical meetings and
other related activities of the
partnership;

10. AREAS OF
C
O
O
P
E
R
A
T
I
O
N
Promotion and encouragement of
cooperativism among farmers and
fisherfolks who have expressed or
demonstrated readiness to organize
themselves of the implementation of DA
Programs and Projects, including its
values and management principles;
Promotion of the concept of shared
management services among farmers,
fisherfolks and rural women cooperatives
in the areas of bookkeeping and
accounting, auditing and other regulatory
requirements and initiate enterprise
development programs;

11. AREAS OF
C
O
O
P
E
R
A
T
I
O
N
Documentation and dissemination
of best and innovative practices
adapted by the cooperatives in the
development of farmers,
fisherfolks and rural women;
Assistance to the DA, particularly the
Agriculture Training Institute (ATI) in the
implementation of trainings/capability
building activities for Farmers
Association/Organizations, Youth
Organization (4-H Club) and Farm Family;
Documentation and
dissemination of best and
innovative practices adapted by
the cooperatives in the
development of farmers,
fisherfolks and rural women;D

12. AREAS OF
C
O
O
P
E
R
A
T
I
O
N
Assistance to the DA in the
development of agri-fishery
related anti-poverty programs,
especially in the pre-
organization of intended
beneficiaries and graduation
of people’s organizations into
cooperatives

13. AREAS OF
C
O
O
P
E
R
A
T
I
O
N
Encouragement and assistance to
the farmers, fisherfolks and rural
women organizations receiving
interventions to graduate into or
become full-fledged cooperatives;
Ensure that cooperatives shall be
given priority in the provision of
support services by the DA relative
to the implementation of its
various programs and project.

14. OTHER COVENANTS
The DA and the CDA shall closely coordinate to
ensure the successful implementation of the
various activities to be implemented under this
partnership agreement.
The parties hereto may, upon mutual consent,
amend or modify this Understanding in writing at
any time through an addendum duly signed and
executed by both parties.