German experts help Tien Giang develop co-operatives

German experts shared their experience in auditing co-operatives at a workshop in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang on August 25 to help develop the local co-operative network.

Choosing Hoa Loc mango in Hoa Loc Mango Co-operative of Tien Giang province. Photo: Huu Chi

This is an activity under a collaboration agreement between the German Co-operative and Raiffeisen Confederation (DGRV) and the Vietnam Cooperative Confederation.

Participants underlined audit as one of the key factors in effective operation of cooperatives.

They also discussed ways to apply DGRV’s audit experience in a number of co-operatives in the province.

According to Ulrich Werner from DGRV, auditing helps enhance the transparency of co-operatives’ activities, thus building trust among their members, partners and clients.

Meanwhile, Tran Dinh Tuan from the Vietnam Co-operative Federation said the work creates an impetus for the effective development of cooperatives through producing reliable information on the co-operatives’ situation, thus facilitating management work.

President of Tien Giang provincial Co-operative Alliance Nguyen Van Hong said since 2014 audits have been conducted annually in 10 local cooperatives in agriculture and small-industry.

The DGRV has helped the province organise training courses in auditing.

Tien Giang is one of 20 provinces in Vietnam that has benefited from a DGRV consulting and assistance programme since 2004.

From 2004 to 2013, the province’s collective economy posted a growth of 250.6% in revenue and 296.4% in profit. The sector’s per capita income also shot up by 232.5% during the period.

Tien Giang is also benefiting from a programme to improve the economic efficiency of cooperatives in the 2013-2017 period run by Canadian non-for-profit international development organisation SOCODEVI.

(Source: NDO)