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Our experience with the DLA The Evolution of a co-operative tool

Our experience with the DLA The Evolution of a co-operative tool. Beijing, April 18, 2009. What is the DLA?. ‘Development Ladder Assessment’ Co-operative institutional assessment tool Assesses co-op performance against the 7 co-op principles

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Our experience with the DLA The Evolution of a co-operative tool

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  1. Our experience with the DLA The Evolution of a co-operative tool Beijing, April 18, 2009

  2. What is the DLA? • ‘Development Ladder Assessment’ • Co-operative institutional assessment tool • Assesses co-op performance against the 7 co-op principles • Refined and adapted by CCA over 15 years (since 1994)

  3. 20 indicators (current version), divided into four broad sections: • Vision • Governance • Management Capacity and Business Development IV. Financial Management:

  4. DLA Methodology: How do we use it? • Discussion and learning through the application of a series of questions for each indicator. • The tool is applied to a group of up to 15 people from the co-operative (the full Board, manager, accountant, some members).

  5. DLA Methodology: (continued) • The ‘teaching’ element of the tool is the sharing by the facilitator of his or her knowledge of the ideal functioning of the various aspects of a co-operative.

  6. Participatory methodology of the DLA: • Not a teacher-student transfer-of-knowledge education model; but a model of mutual learning between participants and with the facilitator. • The facilitator does not state his or her knowledge immediately.

  7. Ideal profile of the DLA facilitator: • In-depth co-op knowledge • best to have 2 persons facilitating the DLA exercise, each with different and complementary areas of expertise.

  8. CCA’s experiences with the DLA: • Indonesia, 2001-2003. • Key lesson: The necessity of having co-operative experts facilitating the DLA.

  9. CCA’s experiences with the DLA: • China, 2005-2009. • Applied to 3 pilot agriculture co-ops. • DLA used as tool for baseline, monitoring, and to develop coaching plans. Key Lessons: • Importance of financial & business expertise • Long term planning & participation a challenge and opportunity • DLA brings transparency to co-operative members • How to manage conflict is key issue

  10. CCA’s experiences with the DLA: • Honduras, November 2008: • Key lesson: To obtain members’ perspective, carry out a parallel DLA process with members only.

  11. CCA’s experiences with the DLA: • Rwanda, March 2009: • Key lessons: • The potential of the DLA as a training tool, using the DLA indicator for specific topics as the starting point for the training. • It would take 3 to 4 days to complete all indicators of the DLA exercise with agriculture co-operatives.

  12. CCA’s recent experiences in applying the DLA to agriculture co-operatives: • To apply all 20 indicators of the DLA would take approximately 3 days per co-op. • It takes 6 hours (a full day with the co-op) to apply 6 or 7 indicators with agriculture co-operatives in Honduras and Rwanda.

  13. CCA’s recent experiences: (continued) • In Honduras and Rwanda, the agriculture co-operatives: • Did not have adequate strategic plans • Did not have a complete operational plan and budget • Needed to significantly strengthen their financial management and business development. • It has worked very well to record and review action points as they emerge from discussion.

  14. Core indicators of the DLA: The heart and soul of the DLA • Board functioning (1st indicator in the section on Governance) • Strategic planning (indicator 1) • Operational planning (indicator 2) • Democratic control of members (2nd indicator in section on Governance) • Business development of the co-op (the co-op responds to the market and to the member needs) • Financial management

  15. Changes made to the DLA since the China version: • Reduction of total number of indicators to 20 indicators

  16. Latest version of the DLA: • 20 indicators for non-financial co-operatives. • Focus on working with the full board, manager, and accountant. • Action points recorded through-out the discussions and reviewed at the end of each indicator discussion. • Reports of DLA results and action points provided to each co-op.

  17. Latest version of the DLA: (cont’d) • It would be ideal to carry out a separate DLA process with members only, • CCA may develop a version of the DLA for lower capacity agriculture co-operatives, • It is clear the DLA can easily be used as a training tool.

  18. Where is CCA going with the DLA? • CCA continues to refine, modify and adapt the DLA • CCA looks forward to on-going discussion and dialogue with users of the DLA • CCA welcomes your continued dialogue about the DLA

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