-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This document has been made available in electronic format
by the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
February, 1997
(Source: ICA in Asia and the Pacific -Annual Report 1996)

			Development, Planning and Coordination
			**************************************

ICA ROAP Planning/Review  Meetings
----------------------------------

The ICA ROAP Annual Planning Meeting was held at NPC 
Hotel, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, on 16th and 17th June 1996 in 
conjunction with the 2nd ICA Regional Assembly Meeting.  

The meeting was attended by all the technical officers of the 
Regional Office besides the representatives of the donor organi-
sations, e.g. the Swedish Co-operative Centre (SCC), the 
Japanese Consumers Co-operative Union (JCCU), and the 
Institute for the Development of Agricultural Co-operation 
in Asia (IDACA). The ICA Geneva was represented by its 
Director General, Deputy Director General and HRD Director.  

The different Advisors presented the work plan and budget of 
their projects, which were discussed with the donors concerned. 
The meeting discussed in detail and finalised the 4-year (1997-
2000) Regional Development Plan and Work Plan including 
Detailed Activity Sheets. The meeting also finalised the Budget 
for 1997 in consultation with the donors.  

An ICA ROAP internal Planning Session was held at Bonow 
House from 5-7 November 1996.  Mr. Claes Thorselius, 
Deputy Director-General and Mr. Jan-Eirik Imbsen, HRD 
Director, ICA Geneva attended the Planning Session, in addition 
to ROAP staff.  The meeting felt that there should be consistency 
in using the terminology and we have to conceptualise the 
understanding and for this purpose we should get an outsider 
to facilitate the planning process for deciding on the mission, 
goal and purpose.  After that the respective Advisors will 
rewrite the 4-Year Plan.  

Regional Seminar on Housing Co-operatives
-----------------------------------------
A Regional Seminar on Housing Co-operatives organised by 
the ICA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, in collaboration 
with the ICA Housing Committee; National Co-operative Housing 
Federation of India; and ICA member organisations in Malaysia 
under the leadership of National Co-operative Organisation of 
Malaysia (ANGKASA) and Co-operative Union of Malaysia, 
was held from 25th to 29th March 1996 at Co-operative College 
of Malaysia, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.  In all 35 delegates from 
eight countries, viz. India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, 
Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Sweden participated in the 
seminar.

The main objectives of the seminar were (a) To strengthen 
inter-regional and global collaboration in the field of housing 
co-operatives; (b) Preparation for setting up an ICA Regional 
Housing Committee for Asia and the Pacific; (c) To establish 
national co-operative housing organisations in the region; and 
(d) Study of Co-operative Housing Situation in Malaysia.

A proposed Regional Committee on Housing Co-operatives 
was set up for strengthening Co-operative Housing Movement 
in Asia and the Pacific.  The main objective of the Committee 
shall be to promote, develop, strengthen and coordinate the 
activities of housing co-operatives in the Region. 

The ICA ROAP was requested to get the formation of the 
above Committee ratified in the coming Regional Assembly 
Meeting in Malaysia in June 1996.

The interim Committee elected was authorised to finalise the 
Constitution of the Committee on Housing Co-operatives and 
initiate the activities.

After detailed deliberations during 5 days in various sessions and 
visits to co-operative housing projects, the following recommen-
dations were made by the seminar.

Consolidation of Housing Co-operatives
--------------------------------------
01.	National Co-operative Housing Federation may be set up 
by each country of the Region. These National Federations may 
act as advisory bodies for their governments, promote housing 
co-operatives, provide necessary advice and guidance to their 
primaries and also keep in touch with the Regional Housing 
Committee and other international organisations dealing with 
housing.

02.	The National Co-operative Housing Federations of 
various countries, where there is no national federation, local 
organisations, should join the membership of ICA Housing 
Committee and Regional Co-operative Housing Committee.

03.	Long-term Action Plan, say for about 10 years, might 
be drawn for promoting and strengthening housing co-operatives 
in the countries of Asia and the Pacific.

04.	The governments of Asia and Pacific countries should be 
requested to frame National Housing Federation and assign a 
definite role to housing co-operatives therein.

05.	The Regional Committee should draw a development 
plan for housing co-operatives in each country of the Region.

06.	The Regional Committee/ICA Regional Office should 
identify the sources of funds available for housing co-operatives 
at international level and disseminate this information to housing 
co-operatives in the Region.

Training Programmes/Study Visits
--------------------------------
07.	ICA Regional Office/Regional Committee may organise 
training programmes and study visits to those countries where 
housing co-operatives have made good progress.  The National 
Co-operative Housing Federations in India and Pakistan and 
the ICA Housing Committee should extend all possible support 
to this programme.

Research Studies
----------------
08.	The Study on Housing Co-operatives in Asian countries, 
initiated by ICA ROAP, should be finalised by collecting data 
and other information from Registrars of Co-operative Societies 
for the benefit of housing co-operatives.  Some more studies, 
highlighting achievements or success and weaknesses affecting 
this sector in Asian countries, compare and contrast their 
experience on co-operative housing, suggest policy changes 
and innovation and management practices, which may contribute 
in enlarging the existing knowledge-base on co-operative 
housing, should be undertaken.

09.	The Regional Committee may bring out a Bulletin quarterly/ 
half-yearly or a separate section in ICA Newsletter may be added 
which may include success stories of housing co-operatives, 
latesttechnologies developed in house constructions and other 
informative articles or reports for the benefit of member countries.

10.	The ICA ROAP may follow the implementation of this 
Seminar's recommendations and review its progress at regular 
intervals.

ICA ROAP  Data Bank
-------------------
During the year, the work to build up the ICA ROAP Regional 
Co-operative Data Bank has been progressing well.  The Data 
Bank Unit which is now a separate activity in the DPCP with 
a Technical Officer in-charge of the operations, is now fully 
operational.  The data bases in use at present are:

-	General information concerning Member-Organisations;

-	Sectoral information on Member-Organisations;
-	Contribution of ICA Member-Organisations in Asia-Pacific for ROAP       
     Administration and Project Activities;

-	Basic socio-economic characteristics of ICA Member-Countries in 
	Asia-Pacific.

-	Top Ten Co-operatives in Asia-Pacific Region, which includes largest
   	 membership of primary co-operatives, and highest business turnover.

-	Basic Information on Co-op Trade of ICA Member Countries in Asia
	Pacific Region.

-	ICA Membership Subscription paid by ICA Member-Organisations 	Globally.

A revised edition of the Profile of ICA Member Countries in Asia-Pacific 
Region is under preparation for the use of ICA Projects, 
Member-Organisations, etc.

The Statistical Profile of ICA Member-Organisations in Asia-Pacific will 
be updated.  The Profile will be sent to member-organisations and donor
agencies. Sectoral Databases (Subject area) on Co-operatives will be
undertaken on the demand of ICA Projects, and ICA member
organisations.

Data Bank is working in close collaboration with ICA Central 
Co-operative Data Bank and other ICA Regional Co-operative Data 
Banks by using common data entry system.

Data Bank would assist Member-Organisations in Asia-Pacific 
Region to establish National Co-operative Data Banks as 
well as Information Resource Services by organising meetings, 
workshops, study visits, etc. Data Bank would endeavour to 
develop close relationship with international organisations (UNOs
 and NGOs) in the Region and also support the member-
organisations in the Region on such system for a co-operative
data collection and exchange/ dissemination system.