The 8 producer organizations in Indonesia vary in their developmental stages and members’ awareness of cooperative governance, education, and participation. A rapid assessment by the Fairtrade NAPP team for Java and Eastern Indonesia reveals that the current cooperative boards have not effectively managed their mandates to organize member education activities. This has resulted in weak member participation in the democratic control of the cooperatives. To address this, Fairtrade NAPP has conducted a capacity-building support i.e., training of trainer’s workshop for 24 selected members from the eight producer organizations to empower them to educate fellow members on cooperative governance.
The training went excellently well and smoothly as per the planned agenda. It began with the introduction of trainers and participants in addition to a morning ice-breaking session to create a relaxed and collaborative atmosphere. The expectation was set through a training overview and learning rules. The Fairtrade NAPP Team then, provided an in-depth session on understanding Fairtrade better. The participants explored into the identity of the cooperative including its understanding, values, and practices. They also engaged in practical exercises on facilitating the cooperative’s identity and discussed members’ roles within the cooperative. The day concluded with a reflective learning session that allowed participants to consolidate their knowledge and experiences.
The second day of the training began with a review of the previous day’s learning. Participants then explored and practiced the facilitation of the functions and roles of the executive board, supervisory board, manager, and cooperative delegations. Following lunch, the focus shifted to adult learning methodology, including a practical session on applying this methodology for members’ education. The day concluded with sessions on facilitation techniques for cooperative education and a micro-teaching exercise, where participants reviewed materials and practiced facilitation techniques.
“For us, the team from KSU Surya Abadi Kayumas, the training is useful and we realize that there are many points to be discussed with other coffee farmers, we are ready to proudly forward all of the knowledge we have received to other members of our cooperative.” – Ahmed Hidayatullah, KSU Surya Abadi Kayumas.
On the third day, the training began with preparations for field practice. Participants then engaged in field practice on members’ education at the locations of Koperasi Karya Manis Sejahtera (Karmatera). They were divided into three groups of facilitators: two groups of eight and one group of nine. Each group conducted practical sessions on delivering members’ education. The day concluded with the development of action plans and a closing session.
The expected result of the capacity building-training of trainers has been significant. The trainers gained various knowledge in several key areas:
- They have a wider understanding the essence and technicalities of cooperative governance, member participation, and Fairtrade requirements related to member participation.
- They grasped the essence and technicalities of the education necessities of the members.
- By the end of the training, the trainers are equipped to effectively communicate their needs as SPO members to the board members and plan their member education process including communication with fellow members, development of educational agendas and modules, and logistical preparation. In addition, they are able to conduct the members’ education according to plan. Hence, this will improve the overall performance in cooperative governance and business.
The expected long-term outcomes from this activity are significant. Participants are expected to act as empowerment agents for other SPO members through their delivery of member education. This will lead to increased awareness among members about cooperative governance and Fairtrade principles, as well as heightened member participation in the cooperative governance of SPOs. Overall, these efforts should contribute to better performance in cooperative governance and business operations.
“On behalf of Koperasi Nira Kamukten, for us the learning experience has been amazing and we will implement the direction and guidance given by the trainers.” – Subanul Arif, Koperasi Nira Kamukten Koperasi Nira Kamukten.
