Bhubaneswar, October 9, 2026: An international training programme bringing together 25 participants from six countries is underway in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, to strengthen managerial skills in agricultural cooperatives and rural financing institutions.
The four-day programme, titled “Developing Managerial Skills for Agricultural Cooperatives and Rural Financing Institutions,” is being conducted from October 6 to 9, 2026, at the KIIT School of Rural Management (KSRM). It is jointly organised by the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), the Centre for International Cooperation in Agrarian Research and Development (CICTAB), and KSRM.
Delegates from India, Nepal, Mauritius, Gambia, Liberia and Bangladesh are participating, bringing together perspectives and practical experiences from different cooperative systems and rural financial institutions.
The programme was inaugurated in the presence of Prof. Sarbeswar Mohanty, Director of KSRM; Prof. Sukumar Dash, Dean of KSRM; Ritesh Dey, Executive Director of NCUI; and Prof. V. Venkatakrishnan, Coordinator of the International Programme, along with the participating delegates.
During the inaugural session, NCUI Executive Director Ritesh Dey highlighted the establishment of the Ministry of Cooperation by the Government of India and its initiatives over the past five years to promote and develop the cooperative sector.
He also emphasised CICTAB’s contribution to international learning and knowledge-sharing, the collaboration between NCUI and the African-Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO), and NCUI’s efforts to strengthen capacity-building within the cooperative movement.
The training programme covers key areas such as cooperative development, rural development, agricultural finance and professional management. An important component is the exchange of experiences, approaches and best practices among participants from the six countries.
By facilitating international interaction and professional learning, the programme aims to strengthen managerial capabilities and support the development of more efficient and effective agricultural cooperatives and rural financing institutions.
The initiative also provides an opportunity for participating countries to learn from one another’s experiences and explore approaches that can contribute to stronger cooperative institutions and sustainable rural development.