Government officials, cooperative leaders and development partners from across the Pacific have agreed to explore establishing a Pacific Island Cooperative Network to strengthen regional cooperation and advance food security, economic empowerment and climate resilience.
The agreement was one of the key outcomes of the Regional Dialogue on "Cooperatives as Drivers of the Blue-Green Economy in the Pacific: Economic Empowerment and Food Security," held in Nadi, Fiji, from Jan. 28 to 30. The event was convened by the International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP) in partnership with Fiji's Department of Cooperative Business under the ICA-European Union Financial Framework Partnership Agreement Phase II.
The dialogue brought together senior government officials, cooperative regulators, practitioners and development partners from Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to discuss how cooperatives can strengthen food security, livelihoods and climate resilience across Pacific island economies.
Opening the event, Fiji's Acting Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Commerce and Business Development, Peni Sikivou, welcomed participants before Finance, Commerce and Business Development Minister Esrom Immanuel delivered the keynote address, highlighting the role of cooperatives in promoting food security, sustainable livelihoods and resilience to climate change.
A keynote panel, moderated by ICA-AP Regional Director Balasubramanian Iyer, discussed the role of cooperatives in addressing market failures, strengthening food security and supporting community-led climate resilience.
The second day focused on thematic workshops covering agroforestry, organic farming, fisheries and marine cooperatives, as well as cooperative entrepreneurship and financing. Working group discussions resulted in the development of a Pacific Island Cooperative Action Agenda for the Blue-Green Economy.
Participants also visited Nature's Way Cooperative, Rise Beyond the Reef and Nawaka Cooperative in Fiji to learn about cooperative-led value chains, women's economic empowerment and community-based agriculture.
A key outcome of the dialogue was the collective agreement to explore establishing a Pacific Island Cooperative Network to strengthen regional representation, coordination and advocacy. Participants said the initiative would help provide a unified voice for Pacific cooperatives and elevate regional priorities in international policy discussions.
