2.0 THE SHIRIKIANA CONSORTIUM FOUNDERS WINDOW
The Founders Group:
Creating with and by youth self-help mutual-help opportunities, skills development, job creation, and sustainable operations across Nations through cross-sectoral cooperatives and other social enterprises.
2.1 About the Consortium
Noting the huge opportunities for creating jobs for youths along the diverse agricultural and non-agricultural sectors;
Considering the gaps in strengthening other types of cooperatives in the under-exploited sectors of the economy;
Appreciating the huge potential for the various types of cooperatives to generate huge employment opportunities for youths;
Realizing the urgent need to attract youths into potential investments along diverse value chain nodes as member-owners, leaders, managers, and promoters of cooperative investment opportunities:
Considering the importance of integrated approaches in providing capacity building requirements for unity of purpose, seamless delivery of products and services (through timely institutional synergies);
Noting the extensive and long experience of the partner firms’ in requisite skills (Cooperative development strategy, AI. Animation, Finance and fiscal policy, Engineering, education and training and publicity and Information Technology/digitization, interface between climate science and its applications in diverse areas, development projects consulting), the ideal consortium is hereby established for purposes of guiding and providing technical backstopping to the cooperatives and allied sectors to create opportunities for employment, wealth creation, and balanced development and growth.

2.2 CONSORTIUM FOUNDERS’ PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESS
These principles will guide the consortium in taking the decisions and actions necessary to achieve the goal and themes for implementation towards creating diverse jobs and improving the livelihoods of the youth:
Creating opportunities together
Focused pursuit of target results
Hand-holding from ideas generation through activities implementation
Continuous environmental and ecosystem scanning
Clear definition of needs and expected outcomes
Joint design of interventions
Promotion of strategic partnerships
Provision of turnkey solutions: design, engineering, procurement, construction, capacity building, technology installation, operations management, follow-up, maintenance, performance stabilization, and accountability
Commitment to community social responsibility
Ensuring mutual satisfaction among all stakeholders
2.3 Purpose of the Consortium
The purpose of the Consortium is to undertake a collaborative project entitled ‘Strengthening Youth Inclusion and Competitiveness of Cooperatives in the Under- exploited Cooperative Business Development and Growth Opportunities Across All Sectors of National Economy’ (See concept).
2.4 Consortium Approach
The Project will involve development of products aligned to the above cited principles and values and the production of proposals, materials and conducting capacity building initiatives (hereinafter referred to as ‘Deliverable). It is envisaged that the deliverable may be further developed leading to the production of additional materials (hereinafter referred to as ‘Products’).

INSERT BIOs
Delroca Springs is an active associate of the consortium lead, Associates in Integrated Development (Africa) Ltd. Established in 1993, AIDAL has undertaken consultancy services across the continent in collaboration with leading individual and institutional consultants in diverse sectors of the economy, most of whom are enjoined as founders of the consortium.
Guided by the theme, the consortium will mentor young people and empower current and potential members of all types of cooperatives to collaborate and benefit from the opportunities presented by the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

3.0 WHY AND HOW COOPERATIVES ARE IMPORTANT SOURCES OF JOBS FOR YOUTHS
3.1 Introduction
Millions of young people leave school every year in search of employment opportunities. This is an increasing concern for families and Governments. Addressing unemployment, therefore requires deliberate strategies that promote job creation across agriculture, manufacturing, trade, and services.
One of the most effective approaches is strengthening cooperative enterprises across strategic value chains. Cooperatives can organize production, mobilize resources, improve market access, and create strong backward and forward linkages that generate employment opportunities from the village level to international export markets. Strengthening linkages with the diaspora can further expand investment, technology transfer, and market opportunities for youth-led enterprises.
3.2 Important Value Chains for Youth Job Creation through Cooperatives
The following value chains have significant potential for creating jobs directly and indirectly:
Edible oils — canola, sunflower, and soya
Textiles and apparel — cotton and silk production through mulberry farming and silkworm rearing
Dairy — camel, goat, and cow milk processing
Leather products — hides and skins from goats, cattle, camels, and fish products
Building and construction materials — steel, sand, timber, and wood products
Mining and value addition
Fisheries and aquaculture
Horticulture and fruit processing
Coffee and tea value addition
Poultry and livestock production
Renewable energy products
Digital services and ICT-enabled enterprises
These sectors can generate large numbers of jobs if youth receive appropriate technical, financial, and commercial support services through an integrated, consortium approach to experience turnkey results.
3.3 Important County-Level Investments required to Support Cooperatives
County governments can strengthen cooperatives by investing in aggregation and industrial parks that meet international quality and food safety standards, such as HACCP. These facilities can support storage, processing, packaging, quality control, and market access for cooperative products.
However, several constraints continue to limit effective value addition and job creation.
3.4 Key Challenges Affecting Cooperative-Led Job Creation
To effectively utilize the investments at county level, the cooperatives have to turn the following challenges into opportunities:
3.4.1 Inadequate Raw Materials and Inputs
Many manufacturing industries lack sufficient raw materials to sustain production. Supplies of cotton, leather, minerals, construction materials, and other commodities are often inadequate in both quantity and quality because of limited access to:
quality seeds and seedlings,
breeding stock and semen,
extraction equipment,
processing technologies,
affordable credit and insurance,
and modern production systems
These challenges reduce productivity and make entrepreneurship difficult for many youth across the value chains.
3.4.2 Limited Knowledge, Skills, and Practical Exposure
Most value chains require specialized technical and entrepreneurial skills. Effective skills transfer should combine:
practical training,
incubation programs,
industrial attachments,
Method and result demonstrations,
exhibitions,
and mentorship.
Although practical training methods are effective, they can be expensive unless governments, investors, and development partners collaborate in synchronized activities planning and implementation to execute the activities thereby covering all costs and reducing time and cost overruns and the resultant weak productivity
Providing youth with timely and appropriate tools, equipment, and continuous training helps build competencies in:
production,
quality control,
marketing,
financial management,
and enterprise development.
Regular well intended and targeted induction and refresher training for cooperative members, management committees, and staff are essential for improving productivity and competitiveness.
3.4.3 Underutilized Co-Investment Opportunities
Many cooperatives struggle to supply products consistently in the quality and quantities required by buyers. Although opportunities exist for co-investment with experienced industry players, youth often lack support in:
conducting feasibility studies,
preparing techno-commercial business plans,
assessing investment risks,
and negotiating partnerships.
Governments and development agencies should therefore promote policies that encourage cooperative co-investment, including:

green financing,
environmentally friendly technologies,
climate-smart infrastructure,
and affordable financing systems that reduce carbon emissions and environmental degradation.
3.4.4. Need for Continuous Capacity Building
Business environments continue to evolve due to changes in:
technology,
governance,
culture,
demographics,
markets,
and consumer preferences.
Cooperatives therefore require continuous capacity building in:
governance,
leadership,
policy compliance,
legal and regulatory matters,
digital systems,
and enterprise management.
Such training strengthens linkages between cooperative-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and local, regional, and international markets.
3.5 Cooperatives Ensure Inclusive, Quality, Resilient, and Sustainable Jobs
3.5.1 Inclusive Jobs
Cooperatives provide opportunities to all people regardless of gender, tribe, disability, or social background. They create employment and training opportunities for vulnerable and disadvantaged youth without discrimination.
Kenya’s successful cooperative institutions of the 1970s and 1980s — such as the Kenya Planters Cooperative Union, District Cooperative Unions, dairy cooperatives, the Kenya Farmers Association, Co-operative Bank of Kenya, and CIC Insurance Group — demonstrate the ability of cooperatives to create large-scale employment and economic inclusion.
3.5.2 High-Quality Jobs
Well-organized cooperatives create professional employment opportunities across production, processing, distribution, and marketing systems.
Strong multipurpose cooperatives, unions, federations, and alliances can create jobs in:
accounting and finance,
ICT and cybersecurity,
engineering,
logistics and warehousing,
quality assurance,
human resource management,
sales and marketing,
research and innovation,
and cooperative management.
These institutions also provide career growth and long-term professional development opportunities.
3.5.3 Resilient Jobs
Resilient jobs continue to exist despite economic and market changes. Because producers and communities own cooperatives, they are often better able to withstand economic shocks.
Professionally managed cooperatives that adapt to changing social, technological, and economic environments can sustain diverse employment opportunities and reduce the frustration and stigma associated with youth unemployment.
3.5.4 Sustainable Jobs
Sustainable jobs are long-term, environmentally responsible, and compliant with labour standards. Such jobs:
provide fair remuneration,
promote safe working conditions,
reduce pollution and toxic emissions,
support long-term livelihoods,
and uphold the principles and philosophy of cooperation.
3.6 How to Create a Supportive Business Environment for Cooperatives
Cooperative unions and federations must continuously monitor the business environment to identify barriers affecting competitiveness.
This includes:
advocating for supportive policies,
strengthening management capacities,
promoting responsive by-laws,
encouraging strategic partnerships,
addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers,
and promoting effective arbitration and dispute resolution systems.
Strong, versatile, and well-remunerated management teams are essential for ensuring that cooperatives remain competitive under modern company and cooperative laws.
3.7 How to Strengthen Cooperatives and Support MSMEs
Key measures for strengthening cooperatives include:
establishing responsive organizational structures,
recruiting competent human resources,
strengthening financial management systems,
improving ICT and cybersecurity systems,
enhancing education, training, and information sharing,
refining institutional arrangements,
promoting innovative leadership,
raising awareness about emerging business opportunities,
building resource and training centres,
and strengthening partnerships and networking.
Cooperatives should also establish systems for:
sharing experiences and best practices,
disseminating market information,
monitoring performance,
and supporting continuous learning and improvement.
Capacity building that promotes linkages should take place at:
ward,
county,
inter-county,
regional,
and international levels
The goal should be to promote unity of purpose and seamless cooperation among cooperative institutions, boards, staff, and members and networking in accordance with the principle of cooperation among cooperatives.
3.7.1 Effective capacity building involves:
assessing existing capabilities,
identifying gaps,
defining desired capacities,
developing goals and strategies,
implementing action plans,
monitoring progress,
and making corrective adjustments where necessary.
3.7.2 Enhancing Market Access for Cooperative-Led MSMEs
Cooperatives benefit from networking opportunities under the principle of cooperation among cooperatives at local, regional, and international levels.
The cooperative brand can be strengthened through:
collaboration and resource sharing,
public-private partnerships,
product standardization,
quality assurance systems,
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) compliance,
and effective management of tariffs and levies.
Successful market access also requires attention to effective design and implementation of competitive:
Products,
Processes,
Promotion,
Pricing,
Places,
People,
and Physical Presence.
Unlike fragmented individual enterprises, cooperatives provide organized and coordinated approaches to production and marketing through Cooperative unions and federations which help ensure:
sustainable productivity,
compliance with market quality standards,
improved product handling from production to consumption,
and advocacy for favorable tariff and non-tariff policies in both local and export markets.
3.8. How Cooperatives Support MSME Growth And Youth Employment
Cooperatives strengthen MSMEs by:
Providing collective bargaining power
Reducing input costs through bulk purchasing
Offering shared processing and storage facilities
Improving access to finance and markets
Supporting compliance with standards and regulations
This creates multiple layers of employment across:
Primary production
Value addition industries
Distribution and retail networks
Support services (ICT, finance, logistics, research)
3.8.1 Market Access and Value Chain Integration
Cooperatives enhance market access by:
Linking producers directly to consumers
Eliminating exploitative middlemen
Ensuring quality standardization and traceability
Expanding access to regional and international markets
Strengthening cooperation among cooperatives
Key value chain principles:
Product quality improvement
Process efficiency
Strategic pricing systems
Market diversification
People-centered service delivery
Strong physical and digital market presence
3.9 Role of Cooperative Unions And Federations
Higher-level cooperative structures owned by primary producer cooperatives ensure:
Aggregation of products for large markets
Standardization and quality assurance
Policy advocacy and market protection
Cross-county and international trade linkages
Strengthening economies of scale for competitiveness
3.10. How Cooperatives Create Long-Term Youth Employment
Youth benefit through:
Entry-level jobs in production and processing
Entrepreneurship opportunities within value chains
Ownership opportunities in cooperative enterprises
Leadership positions in governance structures
Digital and technical skills development
3,11. Key Performance Areas For Successful Cooperative Job Creation
Number of active youth members
Volume of production and value addition
Number of jobs created (direct and indirect)
Income growth per member
Market expansion (local and export)
Compliance with quality standards
Investment growth and capital mobilization
3.12 Core Advantages of cooperatives in Jobs creation
Cooperatives are not just business organizations—they are job creation systems. When properly structured with strong governance, technology adoption, and value chain integration, they become the most effective pathway for transforming unemployed youth into productive entrepreneurs, skilled workers, and cooperative owners.
.0 WHY YOU SHOULD BE A MEMBER OF A COMMON INTEREST GROUP OR COOPERATIVE
A Common Interest Group or Cooperative is made up of people engaged in similar economic activities who come together to work for their mutual benefit. Members may produce the same products, use similar processes, operate within the same area, target similar markets, and share common goals in production, promotion, pricing, and service delivery.
The main purpose of forming or joining such a group is to improve productivity, increase income, reduce costs, and strengthen market opportunities through cooperation and collective action.
Benefits of Joining a Common Interest Group or Cooperative
Pooling Resources for Mutual Benefit
Members combine their resources, ideas, skills, and finances to achieve goals that may be difficult to accomplish individually.
Affordable Access to Essential Services
Cooperatives enable members to conveniently and cheaply access services such as training, farm inputs, equipment, financing, storage, transport, and extension services needed to improve production and productivity.
Improved Market Access and Value Addition
Members work together to identify markets, process and add value to their products, and benefit from increased earnings generated through collective marketing and value addition.
Stronger Bargaining Power
By acting collectively, members gain stronger negotiating power for better prices, improved contracts, reduced exploitation by middlemen, and higher incomes from their products or services.
Access to Technical Knowledge and Quality Standards
Cooperatives help members acquire the technical knowledge, skills, and technologies needed to meet national and international quality standards, especially at aggregation, processing, and marketing centers.
Access to Government and Development Partner Support
Organized groups and cooperatives are more likely to benefit from government programs, grants, training opportunities, financing, infrastructure, and support from development partners through Community Social Responsibility initiatives and empowerment programs.
Learning, Networking, and Mutual Support
Members learn from one another, share experiences, build confidence, and create networks that strengthen business growth and long-term sustainability.
Increased Opportunities for Employment and Investment
Cooperatives create opportunities for self-employment, joint investments, business expansion

5.0 MISSION AND VISION OF A COOPERATIVE MEMBER IN A VALUE CHAIN ENTERPRISE
5.1 Your Mission as a Member of a Cooperative
Your mission as a member of a cooperative or common interest group is to actively participate in a structured economic system that improves your productivity, income, and overall livelihood through collective action.
5.1.0 Core Mission Statement:
To receive and apply effective technical, managerial, and commercial knowledge and services that enable me to increase production and improve the productivity of my assets, including:
Equipment and machinery
Fertilizers, seeds, and farm inputs
Labor efficiency and skills
Harvesting and post-harvest handling
Processing and value addition
Transport and logistics systems
Storage, cold chain, and chilling facilities
Packaging and branding systems
Quality assurance and standards compliance
Market access and distribution systems
Through these systems, I aim to:
Increase the value of my commodity or product
Earn higher and more stable incomes through dividends, bonuses, and fair pricing
Invest in related value chain ventures
Strengthen the cooperative and contribute to the welfare of fellow members and stakeholders
5.2 Your Vision As A Member Of A Cooperative Value Chain Enterprise
Your vision defines the long-term aspiration of your participation in the cooperative system.
5.2.1 Core Vision Statement
To be a member of a leading cooperative society and by extension the union that produces, processes, and markets the highest quality value chain products and services in local, regional, and international markets.
This includes value chains such as:
Tea, Coffee, and Sugarcane
Dairy (cow, goat, and camel milk)
Poultry, Beef, Goat, Sheep, and Camel products
Fish and aquaculture products
Maize, Rice, Wheat, and other cereals
Cotton, Silk, and Textiles
Sunflower, Soybean