Tehran – According to Falk Toilov (FAO), president of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), cooperatives connect farmers and enable large-scale agriculture, increased productivity and increased competitiveness in global markets.
“Introducing the latest technology and mechanization requires a minimum production scale that individual smallholder farmers cannot achieve on their own,” the FAO website quotes Toirov.
Officials made their remarks while dealing with an event jointly organized by the governments of Iran and the United Nations Islamic Republic.
Minister of Agriculture Gholamreza Nouri was present. Ahmad Meidari, Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare. So are many ambassadors, government officials and international representatives.
Speaking as a panel member in the specialist session, Toirov emphasized that cooperatives are unique structures in which individuals come together to pursue a common interest, generating both personal and collective interests. He noted that the strength of cooperatives lies in their ability to achieve “economies of scale.” There, joint action produces far greater results than what members can achieve on their own.
Emphasizing the essence of successful cooperatives, Toirov emphasized that members should not only protect personal interests, but also recognize and prioritize collective interests. “If all members only want personal benefits, the cooperative will ultimately fail. True success comes when a common interest is placed in the center,” he said.
Using FAO’s global experience, Toirov showed how leadership is a critical factor in determining the success of a cooperative. Recalling past missions in other countries, he explained that groups with strong leaders have flourished, but those with weak leadership structures often collapse despite having the same resources, training and opportunities.
He also cited the Saffron, Pistachio and Dating Palm Project to strengthen the agricultural value chain and exports by strengthening FAO’s continued cooperation with the Islamic Republic government in Iran. “For export-oriented products, cooperatives are essential to achieving the scale, quality and standards required for international markets,” he added.