Stocktaking and situation analysis of FAO's work with cooperatives and other forms of collective action in the Near East and North Africa region
Agricultural cooperatives, Producer and Professional Organizations (PPOs), and Water Users Associations (WUAs) in the North Africa and Near East (NENA) region play a crucial role in supporting small-scale family farming, which is vital for the regional economy. Recognized as a strategic sector, agriculture benefits significantly from the contributions of cooperatives and other forms of collective action. They can help address common challenges faced by NENA countries, such as limited access to arable land, water scarcity, soil salinization, high production costs, market access issues, technical knowledge gaps, and climate change.The FAO has a longstanding commitment to supporting cooperatives, PPOs, WUAs, and other forms of collective action (CA) in the NENA region. This work is primarily carried out at the country level and within subregions. The FAO's approach includes consultative work, capacity development, advocacy and networking, knowledge generation and sharing, and support for the enabling environment. Most specifically, creating an enabling environment is a critical area of FAO's work, assisting governments in revising and developing policies and legislation that support cooperative development. This also involves facilitating policy dialogues and capacity development to help organizations engage in negotiations and understand regulatory impacts.This paper aims at providing a situation analysis of these forms of CA in the region and of FAO’s work towards promotion of CA, with the final aim to inform a regional programme in support of FAO’s work with these organizations.