ICA AP webinar: Cooperators brainstorm on how to fight COVID 19

An ICA AP webinar held Wednesday evening, saw the participation of almost all the top cooperative leaders from the region who discussed at length the issues being faced by the cooperatives and the way out in the wake of Covid 19.

Moderated by ICA AP Regional Director Balu Iyer, the Webinar was presided over by ICA President Ariel Gaurco. Top co-operators of the region including ICA AP Chairman Li Chunsheng, NCUI President Dr Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, IFFCO MD Dr U S Awasthi, among others were present.

Speaking on the occasion NCUI President Chandra Pal, who was not announced to be part of the Webinar earlier, said “On behalf of the cooperative movement of India, I wish the cooperators all over the world their safety and well-being. It is indeed a pleasure for us to hear the President ICA and President ICA AP and other Speakers from the Asia Pacific Region in today’s Seminar. “

“COVID-19 is a crisis that has affected all the sectors of the global economy and therefore, every sector & every individual must be involved in the fight against the Corona Virus” said Yadav who also doubles up as ICA AP’s Vice-Chairman.

NCUI President also asked Chief Executive of NCUI N. Satyanarayana to share with the participants a brief on the response of Indian Cooperatives to Covid-19 Pandemic, Government’s support to the Cooperative Sector and future planning.

NCUI Chief Executive N Satyanarayana explained how Indian co-operators have supported the govt at every step of the fight. Co-operators as well Cooperative Societies have been spreading awareness on “How to stay safe” from the Corona Virus by distributing pamphlets, he said.

Satyanarayan mentioned about IFFCO’s “Break the Corona Chain Social Awareness Campaign” at ‘Ground zero’, ULCCS’s communication app “GoK Direct” for Kerala State Government, disinfection tunnels being used by co-op banks and sugar co-ops, distribution of Vitamin-C Tablets, medicated soaps, masks, sanitizers, numerous medical kits, etc.

IFFCO MD Dr U S Awasthi began in his speech with the presentation of a short film, depicting various activities undertaken by IFFCO to break the chain of CoronaVirus. Awasthi said” since IFFCO is owned by farmers and India being primarily an agricultural society, the role of IFFCO assumes great importance when a massive crisis like Covid 19 has hit us.”

Calling it both a health and economic emergency, the IFFCO MD said that Covid 19 has affected almost all of us in one way or the other and thus there is a need for everyone to gird up their loins and face the challenge.

Describing IFFCO’s struggle to reach out to far flung areas where its members reside, Awasthi said a massive campaign was undertaken to teach people on the need to adopt safety measures. Boosting their immunity and protecting them with masks and sanitizers were undertaken by IFFCO, which has so far distributed about 1.5 million masks.

“It is because of these efforts that not a single case of Covid 19 has been reported from IFFCO which boasts 40 million members and more than 11 plants including those on foreign soil”, the MD asserted.

Lauding the Prime Minister for announcing a massive economic package Awasthi said that since fertilizer was declared an essential item we had to ensure both its supply and safety of our workers. “We have, meanwhile, tried many semiautomatic innovations at our plants to maintain the mantra of social distancing”, he added.

The IFFCO MD concluded his speech by saying that between people and money, IFFCO has always valued the former and it has again been the same in tough Covid times.

ICA AP tweeted “Balu Iyer closes an engaging Webinar with over 170 participants from around the world, who came together addressing & raising pertinent questions on the #coop role in a #PostCOVID19 world! Stay tuned for more from ICA-AP!”