Re-imagining co-operative agency and community
learning for an inclusive economy – Ilima Community
Economies and a Design Logic
Presentation to CEPD-Wits-Umalusi Seminar on Rethinking ABET and
Community Education
17th April 2013
Outline of presentation
1) Premises and Conceptual Framework for Ilima Community
Economies
2) AgriParks as example of value-chain centred construct of cooperative, agri-driven community economy
3) Some Developments
_____________________

School Nutrition Programme as example of Market

Examples of imagination at various scales and levels of
community – small  medium  large
Premises
Premise 1 = a conception of society, economy and institutional systems
 Framing purposes for community development and learning happens within
appreciation of ideology informing design logic of life-world systems. Any
avoidance of explicit stand implies affirming the default mainstream logic.
1. Status Quo
 Society, community and economy (as market economy) are defined, stand and
work apart in an unbalanced relationship – the economy, more specifically those
who own it, all powerful
 Institutions are imbedded in, and serve an economy disconnected from, and
predatory on the human and natural universe it purportedly exists to sustain
 Ideology, the knowledge it feeds and the institutions that generate, proliferate and
regenerate it sustain this construct of relationship; false equilibria and a justifying
politics are constructed and maintained => learning institutions are complicit and
promote market-savant theorisation on the ideal of, and mission for public good
Society,
communities,
human and
ecological survival
Market
Economy
Institutions
2. Ideal and Assumptions
 Society, community and economy are re-defined and reconstructed to work
in mutually benefiting and cross-generative logic
 Institutions are more firmly embedded in, and serve a societal purpose
conscious of appropriate balances in human and ecological flourishing and
sustenance => ideology, knowledge and politics, as well as the organisation
and functioning of the market, pursue a similar interest
 Curricula reformulated to address inter-institutional learning and growth,
and agency is reoriented towards balanced development for a greater
public good
Community, societal and
economic flourish and wellbeing
institutions
Premise 2 – Co-operative agency for socio-economic development and
Ilima conceptual framework
 Rests on an awareness of shared agency for development, appropriating
socio-cultural practice of ilima/letsema to modern political economy
 Careful co-crafting of common purpose, activity and responsibilities
Community assets,
organisation and
industry
Ilima Community
Economies
1. Supply-side enablers =
Government development
policy and resources –
material and non-material
2. Demand-side = enabling
public and private sector
markets – local, etc.
Ilima Technical Support Unit(s) =
developmental agency working at multilevels, agitating for inclusion and formal
devices to aid such, providing technical
support to build community capabilities
and advocating for more efficient
application and utilisation of state and
other development-support resources
Premise 3 – Capabilities and implications for curriculum design and pedagogy
 Sensitivity to learners as individuals and as members of communities, organisations
and local enterprises
 Multi-level needs, e.g.
 Relevant praxis-based applied literacy as basic level learning programme to
build/strengthen capabilities for mobilisation, organisation and systematic
action for democratic and productive citizenship
 Intermediate and advanced level programme for abakhwezeli/ Community
Action Support Teams (CASTs) – consisting of local level agents of public
sector institutions, development support agencies and representatives from
co-operative and other civil society organisations
• designed to foster integrated technical support for community action
• Intended to build generic set of skills as well as develop appliedextensions of specialisations
An example of curriculum construct for Abakhwezeli/ Community Action Support Teams
(CASTs)
Principles and Values Base
• Basic understanding of political economy: the given vs
alternatives; the market re-imagined
• Theoretical premises on economic justice - postulations,
arguments and analyses
Developmental
Praxis
• Introduction to economy of cooperation, inclusive of Ilima-based
socio-economic cooperation and solidarity economy
• Introduction to, critical reflection on, and contextualisation of
international Cooperative Principles (ICA and South Africa's
Cooperatives Act no.14 of 2005)
• Creating and supporting
quality cooperative networks
and capable movement
through critical actionlearning
Conscious and Competent Cooperatives
Mkhwezeli / Development Facilitator
• Systematic , regenerative
knowledge development
through collaborative critical
experiential reflection systematisation
Consciousness, Knowledge & Skills
• Introduction to Critical Pedagogy
• Introduction to Socio-Entrepreneurial Leadership
• Sensibilities for a Transformative Agency
• A Guide to facilitating the establishment and development of
quality co-operative organisation
Organisation Development and Operations Management
 Governance, member relations and people management
 Financial management
 Marketing management
 Information management
Sectors
Agriculture
Tourism
Manufacturing and Industrial production
Service industries
NURSERY - Co-operatively owned,
supplying planting material to local
producers
FEEDER PLOT(s) co-owned by community
members in collective/ cooperative structure,
supplying agro-processing and packing facilities
Public Sector
Markets
Food
Warehousing
& Distribution
Depots
- Schools (SNP)
- Hospitals & Clinics
- Other public
establishments
AGRO-PROCESSING FACILITIES
Independent local
producers supplying
agro-processors
co-owned with/by communities
Private
Sector
Markets
domestic and
international
R&D, capacity-building and other development support by
university, departments and other institutions
Over time a range of economic activities and developments will occur, towards expanded and holistic
enhancement of local livelihoods, led in the longer term by organised, capacitated, self-representing and
flourishing communities
OPERATIONAL DRIVERS FOR ILIMA COMMUNITY ECONOMIES & AGRIPARKS
Informed by experimental design started at UFH –
Organisation
R&D and
Innovation
- Appropriate Technology
- Competitive Products
- Conservative natural
resource utilisation
- Systems
- Local enterprise
Production &
Related
- Endeavour to optimise
local value-addition
Markets
- Management
systems
- Seamless operations &
arrangements across value
chain
- Human capacity
development
strategy & processes
- Strategic
penetration of
public and private
sector markets
- Committed energy
- Enterprise <-->
Community relations
and structure
- Institutional
support
- Skills
- Quality systems
Systematic development, cross-pollination, coordination of key elements across drivers and advocacy
3. Some developments
 Memorandum of Agreement signed in 2010 between Department of Rural
Development & Land Reform (DRDLR); Eastern Cape Rural Development & Agrarian Reform,
Economic Development, Education, Roads & Public Works, Office of the Premier; University
of Fort Hare, Agricultural Research Council, Is’baya, Eastern Cape Socio-Economic
Consultative Council, Post Office
 Extending collaboration with Department of Science & Technology, Rhodes EBRU around
renewable energy pilot + NMMU + CSIR
 DRDLR funded upgraded capacity of Alice R&D and Dutywa AgriParks (incomplete), to
target starting school districts for School Nutrition Programme market; DRDLR
intending to support development of AgriParks in other areas and provinces
 Collaborating with Ntaba-ka-Ndoda community; + supporting Chris Hani District
Municipality’s planning within revitalisation of irrigation schemes – collaborative of
government at three spheres and other partners
 Key objectives over first few years of programme = (1) development of physical
infrastructure and R&D on appropriate technology; (2) systems development; (3)
products R&D and establishment of markets; (4) organisational and capacity
development for community producers and entrepreneurs; (5) consolidation of
institutional support infrastructure – CASTs (conscientious, technically competent
inter-institutional Community Action Support Teams)
Option 1 on relations & entitlements : Independent Cooperatives within Ilima AgriPark value-chain
1st inner level: Co-ops
2nd level: Co-ops
-No independent markets/ contracts
-No independent asset ownership, but option to
buy agro-processing facility over time
-Wages set at W x 2nd level wage, where W is
factor to compensate for agro-processors’
inability to interact with market + incentive for
productivity
-1:1 (own:AgriPark) contribution to
Cooperative Provident Fund (in wage structure;
arbitrary)Personal choice of shares in AgriPark
Investment Fund
AgriPark Collective Ltd
(Secondary Cooperative)
Capital operations design,
development and maintenance
support
Production and business
operations planning and
management
Quality assurance
Marketing
Communications support &
management
Finance & contracts
management, to include
management of investment
portfolios – (i) AgriPark Investment
Fund – open, and (ii) Cooperative
Provident Scheme – restricted to
members of cooperatives
-Can sell to/ contract with customers in addition to
AgriPark
-May independently own productive infrastructure
(land, equipment, etc); Ilima may assist to procure assets
-Basic wage guarantee, determined against income
from own sales; supported by AgriPark budget
-2:1 (own:AgriPark) contribution to Cooperative
Provident Fund
-Personal choice of shares in AgriPark Investment Fund
3rd level: Co-ops and others
-Can contract with customers outside of
AgriPark
-Independent ownership of productive
assets (assistance from Ilima institutions
to procure)
-Earnings from AgriPark strictly per
service contract
-Personal choice of shares in AgriPark
Investment Fund
Compost/grow medium Co-op
-Sells to public and AgriPark Nursery and
Vegetable Production Co-ops
Vegetable Processing &
Packaging Cooperatives
-Democratic organization
and self-leadership within
AgriPark Collective Ltd.
-100% AgriPark
contribution to Provident
Fund for Co-op foundermembers
Nursery Cooperatives
-Sells to public and AgriPark vegetable
production co-ops
-100% AgriPark contribution to Provident Fund
for Khanya Nursery Co-op founder-members
Independent vegetable
farmers/producers
-Sells to public and
AgriPark Collective Ltd for
processing
Vegetable Production Cooperatives
-Sells to public and AgriPark Collective
Ltd for processing
-100% AgriPark contribution to Provident
Fund for Co-op founder-members
Food Transportation Co-ops
-Can contract with both AgriPark and independent producers (raw produce
transportation), as well as AgriPark and others for processed products’
transportation
Depot/ Food Warehousing
Co-ops
-Can serve both AgriPark
business and other customers
11
Option 2 on relations & entitlements : Primary Cooperatives equal within Ilima AgriPark value-chain
1st inner level: Co-ops
(all elements of value-chain)
2nd level: Co-ops
-Democratic organization and some selfleadership within AgriPark Collective Ltd.
-No independent markets/ contracts
-No independent asset ownership, but option to
buy agro-procesing facility over time
-Wages equitable across all core cooperatives;
differentiation only on agreed factors
-1:1 (own:AgriPark) contribution to Cooperative
Provident Fund (in wage structure; arbitrary)
-Personal choice of shares in AgriPark
Investment Fund
-Can sell to/ contract with customers in
addition to AgriPark
-Independently own productive infrastructure
(land, equipment, etc); Ilima may assist to
procure assets
-Earnings from AgriPark strictly per service
contract
-2:1 (own:AgriPark) contribution to
Cooperative Provident Fund
-Personal choice of shares in AgriPark
Investment Fund
-Ilima AgriPark assists with development
support
Outer level beyond core partners:
Co-ops and others
-Can contract with customers outside of
AgriPark
-Independent ownership of productive
assets (assistance from Ilima institutions
to procure)
-Earnings from AgriPark strictly per
service contract
-Personal choice of shares in AgriPark
Investment Fund
AgriPark Collective Ltd (Secondary Cooperative)
Capital operations design, development and maintenance support
Production and business operations planning and management
Quality assurance
Marketing
Communications support & management
Finance & contracts management, to include management of investment portfolios – (i) AgriPark Investment Fund – open, and
(ii) Cooperative Provident Scheme – restricted to members of cooperatives
Training and capacity-building
12
Option 3 on relations & entitlements : Value-chain units within Ilima AgriPark Cooperative
1st inner level: Units
(all elements of value-chain)
-Democratic organization and some self-leadership
within AgriPark Collective Ltd.
-No independent markets/ contracts
-No independent asset ownership, but option to buy
agro-procesing facility over time
-Wages equitable across all core cooperatives;
differentiation only on agreed factors
-1:1 (own:AgriPark) contribution to Cooperative
Provident Fund (in wage structure; arbitrary)
-Personal choice of shares in AgriPark Investment
Fund
2nd level: Co-ops
-Can sell to/ contract with customers in
addition to AgriPark
-Independently own productive infrastructure
(land, equipment, etc); Ilima may assist to
procure assets
-Earnings from AgriPark strictly per service
contract
-2:1 (own:AgriPark) contribution to
Cooperative Provident Fund
-Personal choice of shares in AgriPark
Investment Fund
-Ilima AgriPark assists with development
support
3rd level: Co-ops and others
-Can contract with customers outside of
AgriPark
-Independent ownership of productive
assets (assistance from Ilima institutions
to procure)
-Earnings from AgriPark strictly per
service contract
-Personal choice of shares in AgriPark
Investment Fund
AgriPark Collective Ltd (Secondary Cooperative)
Capital operations design, development and maintenance support
Production and business operations planning and management
Quality assurance
Marketing
Communications support & management
Finance & contracts management, to include management of investment portfolios – (i) AgriPark Investment Fund – open, and (ii)
Cooperative Provident Scheme – restricted to members of cooperatives
Training and capacity-building
4. School nutrition programme as market

Inclusion of Ilima AgriParks Programme in EC Department of Education’s Turnaround Plan
=> to promote quality nutrition (commitment to quality nutrition at affordable prices),
minimise burden on educators, and promote local economic development
Comparative nutrient content per serving
RDA
30% RDA AgriPark dried
mixed-veg and
soya product
(7-10 yrs)
(cabbage, carrots,
onion, tomato,
butternut and soya)
130g
Spinach
130g Green
Beans
130g
Cabbage
(in AgriPark
product; not
required in
SNP menu)
(neither in
AgriPark
product nor
required by
SNP)
(in AgriPark
product; on
SNP menu)
Energy (kJ)
Protein (g)
Fat (g)
8400
28
66.3
2520
8.4
19.89
261.2
6.21
2.79
96.3
3.9
0
146.5
2.6
0
92
1.3
0
Carbohydrate (g)
317.8
95.34
6.74
5.2
10.4
5.2
Vit A (Ug RE)
700
380.7
4087.59
1470
54.6
Calcium (mg)
Phosphorous (mg)
800
800
210
240
240
44
86.4
176.8
72.8
59.8
50.7
40.3
19.5
Iron (mg)
10
3
1.94
4.641
1.664
0.221
Zinc (mg)
10
3
0.68
0.988
0.468
0.117

R&D work underway to add spinach to vegetables-soya mix product

Also working to expand product range, including collaboration with eThekwini AgriPark
project on high-protein edamame snack
UTILITARIAN JUSTIFICATION FOR ilima procurement substitution
Supply arrangements as at 2010
School District
Schools
SN P
Learners
Service
Providers
Local
Em ployees
M an u f ac t u rers
Production?
/ W hol es al ers
Y es / N o
1
No
12
9
65
3
No
14
74
4
Fort Beauf ort
215
28465
2
Dutywa
337
105384
Totals
552
133 849
Comparative substitute effect of Ilima AgriParks
Job Estimates from Ilima AgriPark (2011 data)
C ore
Possible
AgriPark
Local F ood
Total Jobs
s
u
ppl
em
en
t
at
i
on
Production- W arehousing
(created &
of food
chain
& Distribution
supported)
(Basic R2200p/mnth wage plus handlers w ages
income from dividend)
School District
SN P
Enrolm ent
Fort Beaufort
32 443
120
69
271
459
Dutywa
94 404
348
200
787
1335
Totals
126 847
468
268
1 058
1 794
5. Examples of Imaginations across scale:
 Small to medium-scale examples:
1)
Alice R&D AgriPark extending beyond core of starting cooperatives to

collaborating with Qoboqobo communities – 13 villages, supported by Ntaba-kaNdoda community organisation and Fort Cox agric. college

Approach from established commercial fruit farmer to buy processing service at
Alice AgriPark (turn myth of “commercial farmers-best-placed-to-always-lead”
on its head)
2)
Dutywa AgriPark to collaborate with farmers in Dutywa and Gcuwa region once fully
up and running
3)
Supporting the establishment of AgriPark Research Hub at NMMU
4)
Cross-provincial collaboration with eThekwini – sharing product development,
systems-development and related (eThekwini group has led development of proteinrich edamame products)
 Large-scale imagination (still built around aggregation of small producers and areas) =
 Supporting Chris Hani District Municipality’s planning for revitalisation of irrigation
schemes established during bantustan era – collaborative of government at three
spheres and other partners
 Proposal on developing Agro-Industrial Zone over time
Aerial view of Proposed Design for Ncorha Ilima AgriPark Precinct
The core elements are as marked below, and the development will build incrementally over time as follows –
1)
First, will be built the nursery and agro-processing facility along improved designs of the facility tested at the Fort Hare R&D
AgriPark, but inclusive of grain milling plant. The construction should happen over 2013 – 2014, so that processing operations
can begin from 2014.
2)
While solar power will be incorporated in the construction of the agro-processing facilities, it will be strategic to introduce the
piggery soon , and with it the development of the first element of the bio-energy facility – the Rhodes-developed IAPS
(integrated algae pond system).
3)
Refurbishment of the admin block and building of the training facility should happen soon after, as will be the business hub
which can be added in the medium term, plus the beginnings of the residential element.
It is assumed that development of enabling infrastructure such as connecting tarred road will happen along AgriPark constructions