The members of AgriCord mobilise knowledge and means in order to advise farmers’ organisations and cooperatives around the globe on their development into strong defenders of the farmers’ interests and solvable businesses.

Echoing the Netherlands (co-founder), France, Belgium, Sweden, Finland and Canada, now also Spain and Germany join the network.

The accession of the Spanish ACODEA and the Andreas Hermes Academy from Germany to AgriCord network was recently decided on at the AgriCord General Assembly in Manila.

ACODEA the agri-agency of the Spanish farmers’ organisation UPA (Union de Pequeños Agricultores y Ganaderos).

The Dutch Agriterra, AgriCord member since the start, will assist ACODEA during the next four years in transforming from an organisation with only few activities into a fully-fledged development organisation that can recruit and deploy the Spanish organised agriculture in favour of colleagues in developing countries.

This collaboration demonstrates the power of the AgriCord network, as it can build on clear procedures and systems.

On Thursday 4 December in the afternoon an agreement was signed at the COPA-COGECA offices in Brussels to support ACODEA in her transformation the upcoming years.

The accession of ACODEA provides new perspectives for the Farmers Fighting Poverty program that the agri-agencies execute within AgriCord.

It makes the recruitment and deployment of Spanish farmers, their leaders, cooperative directors and employees/experts possible for short missions to advise colleagues elsewhere, particularly in Latin America.

The AgriCord network supports more than 300 farmers' organisations in developing countries, with financial support from the European Union and several national governments.

Farmers advise farmers, cooperatives advise cooperatives. On cultivation-technical issues, but also often on advocacy processes, marketing, or effective negotiations with suppliers, buyers and governments.

Spain and Germany joining AgriCord provides more advisory capacity and capability to achieve its goal: strong farmer representatives and successful cooperatives worldwide with the ultimate result of economic growth and better democratic relations.