Riya Mala 
Over the past two years, cooperative registrations have significantly increased, reflecting a growing interest in mutual support and shared economic benefits.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Cooperatives Manoa Kamikamica states his ministry has established a grant to support this cooperative movement.
He adds that the Ministry of Trade is working towards digitizing the cooperative database and MSMEs, which will enhance their capacity for monitoring business registrations.
“We have seen a resurgence in activity since 2022. In that year, we conducted 182 awareness sessions. By 2023, this number had grown by 109 percent to 484 sessions. Registrations have also steadily increased, with 61 cooperatives registered in 2022, rising by 73 percent to 134 cooperatives in 2023.”
Kamikamica emphasizes that they are encouraging cooperatives and farmers to export their products and services to markets with high demand.
He concludes that the cooperative movement plays a vital role in combating poverty by empowering individuals and communities through collective action.
