1. The Role of Producers Organizations
in St. Vincent & The Grenadines
A presentation done for training farmers on the establishment
of agricultural cooperatives in 2011.
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2. Introduction
What the audience will learn in this session.
• Why there is a need for producer organizations
now in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
• The functions of producer organization.
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3. What the audience will learn in this
session?
• The general set up of producer organizations.
• Networking producer organizations
▫ National
▫ Regional
▫ International
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4. Why is there a need for producer
organizations in St. Vincent & The
Grenadines
• The current Government support civil society
organizations to play a more important role in
the political and economic context of the State.
• To play this role, producers need build up their
capacity which was weakened by them being
kept out of the decision making organs of the
State.
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5. Why is there a need for producer
organizations in St. Vincent & The
Grenadines?
• The various Trade arrangements to which this
State subscribes dictates that we improve our
professionalization of our economic base.
• The objective of professionalization of economic
base is to give the producers their deserved
space in civil society.
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6. Why is there a need for producers
organizations in St. Vincent & The
Grenadines?
• Producers occupied space in civil society will
allow them access to markets to which they are
currently excluded.
• Producers organizations will integrate the
general activities of all producers, so
represented, into the general economy.
• Producers organization is the mouth piece of
those represented.
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7. Principles that should Govern Producer
Organizations: Producer organizations should be governed by
the following basic principles.
1. Professionalism: This is a long process of
structuring the producers profession. It
comprises:
a. Starting new types of organizations with a
mission to represent producers and to
participate on their behalf in the
formulation and implementation of rural
development policies and programs.
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8. Principles that should Govern Producer
Organizations: Producer organizations should be governed by
the following basic principles.
1. Professionalism: (cont’d)
b. The restructuring of producers
organization and turn them into
profitable and efficient, professional
units, freely managed by producers, that
is, only producers, such as crop
producers, livestock growers, fishermen,
foresters etc. can be represented by these
organizations.
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9. 2. Universality:
• Anyone who satisfies the criteria set for the by
the statutes on producers can become member
of the producer organization (e.g) Pig farmers
can join a Pig Grower Association, Fishermen
can form the Fishermen Association, Loggers
can form a Loggers Association, Craft can form
a Craftsmen Association
Principles that should Govern Producer
Organizations: Producer organizations should be governed by
the following basic principles.
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10. 3. Representation of all categories of
producers?
• Each category of producers in the different
production systems must be represented and
can express its points of view to be taken into
account to analyze problems and set producers
policies.
Principles that should Govern Producer
Organizations: Producer organizations should be governed by
the following basic principles.
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11. 4. Autonomy:
• The freedom of producers organization to
choose their development goals, plans their
own work programs and manage their
resources, without the interference of others
from outside.
Principles that should Govern Producer
Organizations: Producer organizations should be governed by
the following basic principles.
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12. 5. Decentralization:
• This system of representation and decision
making process must come from below.
• Decentralization is a necessary condition for
the effective participation of producers and for
the consideration of local realities.
Principles that should Govern Producer
Organizations: Producer organizations should be governed by
the following basic principles.
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13. Functions of Producers Organizations
Mission:
The basic mission of producer organizations is to
represent producers in order to ensure their
participation in the formulation of policies and
economic development plans and programs.
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14. Mission (cont’d)
The accomplishment of the mission is based on
three principal functions- (Consultation,
Information and training of members and
support for professional organizations of
producers).
Functions of Producers Organizations
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15. Consultation:
This consists of communicating producers views
of their situation and that of the sector and the
other participating in the formulation of
producer policy and the options to be considered
in rural development.
Functions of Producers Organizations
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16. Information and Training of Producers:
The information function of the organizations is
directed to three types:
• To facilitate the integration of producers into
markets.
• To improve the quality of life of the rural areas.
• To ensure a better balance between towns and
countryside.
Functions of Producers Organizations
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17. Professional Organization of Producers
It is important that producers create their own
organizations, thus contributing to the
professionalization of their venture, a basis for
participation in development and perfect
integration into the market economy.
Functions of Producers Organizations
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18. • The sovereign and constituent organs of a
producer organization are formed by their
elected members.
• The elected organs represent producers. They
are defined in the laws creating producers
organizations.
• they have rules of operation, decision making
powers, policy and programs, and raise funds.
General set-up of Producers
Organizations
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19. • The technical and operational organs are under
the authority of the elected organs.
• Their mission is to assist the elected organs in
the realization of their objectives, activities,
programs, in the management of their funds,
and in preparing producers policy proposals.
General set-up of Producers
Organizations
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20. Net-working Producers Organization
• Net-work is an institutionalized form of
federation of producers, responsible for running
the business of the net-work.
• The net-work can be organized nationally,
regionally, or internationally.
• Net-working plays an informative role educating
the producers about the economic environment,
government’s policies, and establishing
partnerships with other professional association.
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21. THE END
• God did not make this beautiful body called
MAN by himself. He called up a committee
and said,
“LET US MAKE MAN !”
We are the result of that cooperation.
Together we aspire, Together we achieve!
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