Cultivating change: Cooperative-led regenerative revolution

An in-depth conversation with International Cooperative Alliance Director General Jeroen Douglas.

- 

The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) recently solidified its commitment to a sustainable agricultural future by joining the board of regenagri as a shareholder, a landmark move represented by its Director General Jeroen Douglas.

This strategic alliance is poised to create a significant impact, particularly for agricultural nations like Sri Lanka, which supports millions of smallholder farmers.

In an exclusive online discussion from Brussels, Douglas spoke with the Daily FT, offering a visionary outlook on the implications, opportunities, and future of regenerative agriculture powered by the cooperative movement.

Here are excerpts.

ICA joining regenagri’s board has been hailed as a game changer. Could you elaborate on why this partnership is so pivotal for ICA members globally, and particularly in a nation like Sri Lanka?

This partnership represents more than a simple collaboration; it is the confluence of two powerful, shared visions aimed at fundamentally transforming global agriculture through sustainable, farmer-centric, regenerative practices. The International Cooperative Alliance is the global voice for a movement that encompasses over one billion members, a significant portion of whom are smallholder farmers who act as stewards of our planet’s land and resources. For too long, these farmers have been at the mercy of volatile markets and degrading environmental conditions. This alliance is a declaration that a new era is possible.