Profile of Organisations Visited by the Mission (1991)
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This document has been made available in electronic format
by the International Co-operative Alliance ICA
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September, 1991
(Source Report of a Study by the ICA -The Current
Status and Development Potential of the Co-operative
Sector in Namibia- pp.50-67)
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ANNEX 3
Profiles of Co-operative Organisations
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Agra (Co-operative) Limited
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Established: 1980
Mission: To serve the farmers of Namibia through a co-
operative undertaking.
Activities: Provision of all farming inputs, equipment and
related services to members.
Marketing and handling everything members
produce and for which a market exists or could
be created.
Main products and their share of turnover for
1990 were:
- Meat 58.5%
- Trading and General 34.3%
- Karakul 4.8%
- Agricultural crops 2.4%
Structure: The total number of individual farmers who are
members of Agra is 5,200. They are almost
entirely from the commercial farming sector.
One of the requirements for membership is that
a farmer should be able to do business with
non-members provided this does not exceed
business done with members.
Agra operates a network of 26 centres
throughout its area of operation.
A number of agro-processing and value-adding
activities have been embarked upon. These
include: a maize mill; an animal feeds mill;
and sugar packing.
Performance: Turnover during 1990 was MnR355.1 and net
surplus was MnR1.2.
Funding: Share Capital - MnR3.0; Reserves - MnR20.4.
Alfa (Co-operative) Limited
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Established: 1964
Mission: To satisfy members' needs for consumer goods -
at the right place, time and price.
Activities: Retailing of all consumer goods except motor
vehicles.
Structure: The co-operative has 12,600 members of whom 500
are non-whites. Each member pays a minimum
share capital of Rs.50. Alfa is empowered to do
business with non-members.
The members elect a Board of Directors of ten
people, one third of which retire annually but
are eligible for re-election. Voting by proxy
is permitted.
The co-operative operates six outlets - the
main store, a bottle store and two branches in
Windhoek and one store each at Tsumeb and
Swakopmund.
Performance: Turnover in 1990 was R54.3 million. The co-
operative has generally been able to operate
profitably in the past.
Members pay lower prices than other customers
rights at the point of sale. In addition they
receive dividends at your end.
Competition from private business and chains is
growing quite fast. The co-operative is
fighting the competition mainly through lower
prices and promotional activities.
There are difficulties to find and retain
competent manpower.
Funding: Share Capital - N.A.; Reserves - N.A.
Oranje (Co-operative) Limited
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Established: 1928 (in South Africa); 1969 (Namibian branch)
Mission: To serve the farmers of the Hardap Dam
Irrigation scheme through a co-operative
approach.
Activities: Supply to members:
- Seeds and other inputs
- Agricultural machinery and implements
- Marketing of members' produce.
Technical advice/Extension
Providing production credit to members
including guaranteeing loans from the Land
Bank.
Structure: The Oranje Co-operative in Namibia is a branch
of the Oranje Co-operative in South Africa. The
Head office in RSA provides financial
assistance, administrative support, technical
assistance and a bulk buying service.
It has a membership of 30 farmers all operating
at the Hardap Dam Irrigation Scheme, 250 Kms
south of Windhoek. The Oranje Co-operative of
South Africa is empowered to operate in Namibia
under Chapter 10 of the present Co-operative
Act.
Each member cultivates between 30-50 ha. of
land. The main produce in the Scheme has been
lucerne. In the last three years, maize and
wheat production has increased. Citrus, melon,
sultana and cotton cultivation is being
introduced.
Funding: Membership fees and share capital, trading
margins, Land Bank loans, etc.
Sentraboer (Co-operative) Limited
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Established: 1916
Mission: To be recognized as a leader by achieving the
following: as a growing, profitable and
financially stable organisation, offering
security with regard to unforeseen and
incidental damages in an innovative way to the
agricultural and related markets in South
Africa and Namibia.
Activities: Provision of short-term insurance products for
farmers' assets and those of co-operative
organisations.
Structure: Sentraboer is registered in RSA and operate in
Namibia as permitted under Chapter X of the
present Act. Almost all its activities in
Namibia are carried out by AGRA, the
agricultural co-operative. AGRA is a member as
well as an agent of Sentraboer.
Sentraboer is registered as a Central Co-
operative, i.e. only registered primary co-
operatives can be its members. There were 217
member co-operatives in 1990. Sentraboer is,
however, allowed to do business with non-
members. It does not carry out life insurance
business.
Performance: Total turnover in 1990 was MnR118.7 of which
MnR3.4 was generated in Namibia. Net surplus
for the year was MnR8.9. Bonuses to members
amounted to MnR6.8.
1,470 commercial farmers in Namibia insure with
Sentraboer.
Funding: Share Capital - MnR24.7; Reserves - MnR17.4
Namibian Community Co-operative Alliance (NCCA)
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Established: May 1987
Mission: To run a programme of support activities for
income generating groups.
Activities: Skills training.
Activating and animating groups.
Linking groups to sources of assistance.
Structure: Composed of 15 groups; all in Communal Namaland
in the South of Namibia.
7 groups are Farmers' Leagues and operate
savings and credit schemes.
8 groups are for non-farmers, residing in the
target areas; some of these operate savings and
credit schemes, others consumer shops, etc.
The Farmers' Leagues are united into a
secondary level group: Farmers' Interlink
Solidarity Action (FISA).
The non-farmer groups are members of a
secondary group: People's Association
Solidarity Trust (PAST).
Resources: 7 employees - 4 in Windhoek and 3 in
Keetmanshoop.
Income (1989) - R345,000.
Funding: Donors (HIVOS, EEC, OXFAM, KAF) - 97% of total
funds;
Member shares and deposits.
Namibia Katemo Agricultural Co-operative
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Established: 1990
Mission: To improve the economic situation of its farmer
members in the far North-East of Namibia.
Activities: The main activity of the group is so far
limited to the purchase and sale of members'
Mahango (Millet). Small amounts of beans and
vegetables are also traded. So far the members
have received prices higher than those paid out
by private traders.
Structure: The group is not registered. It has about 40
members each owning between 18-50 hectares.
Resources: The group has 2 employees and operates from a
store in Rundu, rented from the Government.
Funding: The co-operative depends on capital contributed
by members. This is meager. An attempt to get
credit from the FNDC for farm inputs failed
because the group is not registered under the
law.
Mbangura Woodcraft Co-operative
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Established: 1984
Mission: To raise the incomes and overall standard of
living of its members.
Activities: The group organizes procurement of wood and
other supplies needed by the members.
It also arranges marketing of the members'
products.
The main products of the group are wooden
furniture and handicrafts.
Structure: The group is based at Rundu in northern
Namibia.
There are about 200 members in the group. The
group has not been able to get registered due
to the inadequacy of the law and its
complexity. Members still work from their
houses and bring their products to the co-
operative showroom. The co-operative takes 10%
of the proceeds on sales made through the
showroom.
The co-operative also organizes mobile sales-
driving to shopping centres and bazaars all
over Namibia and in South Africa.
Resources: The group has been allowed to use a Government
building as a showroom. However, it has been
made clear that the group will soon have to pay
rent for the building.
Each member pays a fee of R10 per month in
addition to an entrance fee. The group has
received a grant of R23,000 from Oxfam.
One sales person is employed.
Problems: The following problems were identified:
- lack of management and organizational
skill,
- lack of market,
- low prices for products,
- lack of means of transport,
- insufficient and irregular wood supplies,
- difficulties in communications,
- no woodworking machines lack of a
workshop,
- poor quality assurance.
Saamstan Building Co-operative
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Established: 1987
Mission: To provide housing to its members and to build
up a central pool of funds from which members
can borrow.
Activities: The group has two lines of activities:
a) assisting members to acquire houses,
and
b) operating a savings and credit scheme.
To date (Jan.,1991) 18 houses have been
completed.
Structure: The group is not registered under any law.
There are essentially two groups under the same
name and management. All members of the
building group are also members of the savings
and credit scheme.
The group has a membership of about 600
individuals, mostly women. To qualify for
membership, a person must be: a) a domestic
worker, (b) have a monthly income of not more
than R500, (c) attend all meetings of the group
and (d) put in labour - members assemble at the
co-operative every saturday to make building
bricks.
To qualify for a house loan, a member must have
saved at least R150 and have a plot.
The co-operative is affiliated to the Cape
Credit Union League in the Republic of South
Africa, which provides book keeping and overall
guidance.
Resource: The group has 3 employees.
Every member pays an admission fee of R3 of
which R1 is entrance fee and R2 is initial
deposit. Besides, members save regularly. The
average cost of a house is between R6,000 and
R7,000. The maximum loan a member can get for a
house is R5,000. The funds loaned out as house
loans come out of grants given to the group.
These grants have been converted to a revolving
fund.
Funding: The main donors to the group have been Oxfam
U.K. and Oxfam Canada.
Member savings and deposits.
Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN)
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Established: 1979
Activities: The Council has established a Co-operative
Development Desk, whose tasks are to:
- Assist in organizing groups
- Provide training, e.g. book keeping,
- Channelling of grants,
- Organizing donor meetings,
- Monitoring progress of groups.
Structure: The Council is formed by six churches, i.e.
Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Anglican,
AMEC, and Congregational.
CCN currently works with 30 to 40 groups spread
all over Namibia. To qualify for CCN support
group must consist of not less than 7 people,
be also have an Executive Committee and a book
keeper. A group need not be affiliated or
connected to any church. Some of the group
activities include: weaving, sewing,
engineering workshops, and gardening.
Funding: Contributions from members of the Council.
Donors: Oxfam U.K., Oxfam Canada, NGOs, etc.
About R150,000 available during 1990.
Institute for Management and Leadership Training (IMLT)
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Established: 1983
Mission: To help Namibians in agriculture, commerce and
industry, to increase their knowledge and
skills through practical training and
consultation services, in order for them to
become more qualified, self-reliant and
effective business leaders and thereby
contribute towards human development and a
free, prosperous and stable Namibian society.
Activities: Practical training in agriculture, commerce and
industry:
- Pasture Management,
- Animal Production,
- Agronomy and Horticulture,
- Management in Agriculture,
- Financial Management,
- Marketing,
- Personal and Personnel Development,
- 6M Simulation Course,
- Managerial Development.
Professional consultancy services for small
business (formal and informal sector).
Management and leadership development.
Financial assistance in the form of:
- material aid for small commercial and
industrial business development,
- bursaries for studies in agriculture,
commerce and industry.
Information Service.
Structure: IMLT is an independent, non-governmental and
non-profit Namibian development institution.
It is run by a Board of Directors.
Resources: The Institute receives development aid funds
from the Hans Seidel Foundation of Germany.
JU/WA Bushman Development Foundation (JBDF)
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Established: 1981
Mission: To support the self-development of the JU/WA
(Ju'hoan) Bushman people found largely in
north-eastern Namibia.
Activities: - Supplying the infrastructure needed to
develop the mixed local economy, i.e.
small stock keeping, dryland gardening,
hunting and gathering. The local people
provide labour. Infrastructure supplied
include boreholes, hand or wind pumps,
fencing wire for kraals, etc.
- Purchasing and sales of handicrafts.
Education and training projects:
- adult and child literacy/life skills
- community based health education
- vocational training.
Sponsoring exchange visits between the Bushmen
and other groups living on communal lands.
Structure: The Foundation is registered in Namibia as a
non-profit organisation.
JBDF only supports those projects which are
based on the principle of self-help. To this
end, the Foundation works through a local
grassroots organizations, the Nyae Nyae
Farmers' Co-operative.
Nyae Nyae Farmers' Co-operative is formed by
the dwellers of 23 settlements in East
Bushland. It is run by a committee consisting
of 2 delegates from each settlement. members do
not make any financial contribution to the co-
operative.
Resources: JBDF has a staff of 5 who reside at a camp in
the Nyae Nyae area, a part-time
secretary/liaison person in Windhoek and an
accountant also in Windhoek.
Funding: Sponsors of JBDF include the EEC via Christian
Aid and the British Council of Churches; Oxfam,
U.K.; Oxfam, Canada; Misereor; Brot fuer die
Welt; ICCO; Diakonia; CAFOD; and private
contributors.
Legal Assistance Centre
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Established: N.A.
Mission: To uphold the rights embodied in the
Constitution of Namibia and expose those who
violate them.
Activities: Free legal advice to those who cannot afford
Research into laws with a view to (a) creating
a deeper understanding of the laws, and (b)
making proposals for change.
Legal education through school classes and
community groups.
Structure: Their five legal advisory centres well spread
out in Namibia.
The Centres are administered by the Legal
Assistant Trust and the Human Rights Trust.
Resources: 4 professional registered lawyers; 29 para-
legal personnel; external consultants.
Funding: Funds are raised from local activities and from
donors abroad: EEC, Swedish Churches, Ford
Foundation, Dutch Churches, Australian
Government, etc.
Namibia Development Trust (NDT)
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Established: 1989
Mission: To be a service as well as channel body to:
- stimulate and prepare the groundwork for
authentic development programmes;
- develop a development culture in Namibia;
- network local development agencies;
- become a service body for grassroots
groups;
- network communities in different regions;
- establish itself as a Namibian NGO.
Activities: Workshops to facilitate communities to
prioritise their needs and to generate ideas on
how they can solve some of their problems.
National workshops at which rural communities
are involved in deliberating such important
questions as unemployment, co-operatives,
health, education, etc.
Coordinating NGOs' interest in setting up the
NJCS and providing initial guidance to it.
Coordinating the take off of the local NGO
Network.
Structure: NDT was set up by the EEC, Churches, SWAPO,
National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW),
National Union of Namibian Students'
Organisations (NUNSO), etc.
NDT is not registered under the law.
Many rural communities have contacts with the
NDT. The organisation is well established and
seems to enjoy a high standing with the
relevant government departments, the
communities, local NGOs as well as foreign
NGOs.
Resources: The total number of staff employed is 14.
National Job Creation Service (NJCS)
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Established: 1990
Mission: To initiate and support job creation
opportunities for Namibians.
Activities: Promotion of co-operative and other forms of
organisations.
Facilitation of a process whereby ideas for
possible projects are generated.
Training and building up of small enterprises
concentrating mainly on new co-operatives and
small businesses. The training covers such
areas as co-operative skills and principles;
business management skills and specialist
training.
Monitoring and evaluating progress on projects.
Maintaining a register of small producers and
suppliers and on this basis assisting them to
find markets.
Establishing formal contacts and helping to
build up a coordinated training in network of
organisations with similar objectives.
Structure: NJCS was set up under the auspices of the
Namibia Development Trust and is run by a
Steering Committee of representatives from
Namibia's community associations, trade unions
and churches.
The aim is for the NJCS to become an umbrella
technical organisation for identified co-
operatives. To date 40 such groups are being
assisted.
Resources: NJCS has three employees.
Funding: All its funds consist of grants received
through the Namibia Development Trust.
Private Sector Foundation (PSF)
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Established: 1980
Mission: To improve the quality of life of all Namibians
by causing them to experience and enjoy the
benefits of participation in free enterprise
activities.
Activities: Training for small businesses and the informal
sector entrepreneurs. In-house courses and
individual consultations are carried out.
A Mini Loan Scheme for small manufacturers,
traders, or providers of business services to
purchase stock, raw material or equipment.
The GET UP! Scheme under which PSF provides:
- small credit and buying aid facilities,
- practical business training in group
situations,
- the opportunity to establish and develop
business and social networks and support
systems.
A library service.
Structure: PSF is an association incorporated not for
gain. Members of the association include
businessmen, banks, mining and oil companies,
etc. Members contribute financial, manpower and
other resources to the Foundation.
Resources: About 20 employees
Income (1989) - R914,829
Funding: Membership fees, members' contributions,
donations (33% of total), project incomes, etc.
First National Development Corporation (FNDC)
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Established: 1979
Mission: To create wealth for the good of the people of
Namibia in all sectors of the economy by
mobilizing and deploying internal and external
technological and financial resources.
Activities: For the potential investor, FNDC:
- provides authoritative data and
information,
- identifies appropriate projects by
matching donor, receiver and need,
- undertakes project feasibility
investigations through planning, study and
analysis.
FNDC also acts as a general information centre,
gathering data; analysing and correlating it;
and making it available to the public, private
and informal sectors of the economy.
In the field of agriculture, the Corporation
provides agricultural credit for new and
innovative schemes in which the Land Bank
cannot participate; acts as a managing agent
for some of the Government projects; and
carries out research and experimentation on
behalf of the government.
Structure: The Corporation operates independently of the
State with a board of directors exercising full
control over its affairs. It is, however, a
parastatal.
Resources: The Corporation employs a multi-disciplinary
team of highly qualified professionals, well
versed in the various facets of the Namibian
economy.
FNDC owns a diversified range of small, medium,
and large scale investments in agriculture,
industry and commerce.
The assets of the Corporation stood at MnR156
in 1989.
The Land and Agricultural Bank (Land Bank)
