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Network for the Development of Agricultural Cooperatives in Asia and the Pacific (NEDAC) |
ARTICLE VI. FUNCTIONS OF THE NETWORKTo achieve the objectives in Article III above, the Network shall undertake the following functions:
a. Promote the exchange of ideas and experiences among countries in the Asia- Pacific and its wider associated regions, on policies, programmes and projects for agricultural and other associated cooperative development.
b. Organize periodic meetings of the network. Collect, collate and disseminate information on agricultural and other associated cooperative development and other matters of common interest to members;
c. Collect, collate and disseminate information on agricultural and other associated cooperatives, agricultural and other associated cooperative development and other matters of common interest to members;
d. Arrange for and organize consultations, workshops, trade platforms, seminars, research projects, courses and different training programmes for senior level policy makers, cooperative leaders and middle level managerial and technical staff on policies, programme management and technical aspects of agricultural and other associated cooperative development;
e. Promote trade among member organizations / countries; and
f. Any other functions which are required to achieve the objectives of the Regional Network. ARTICLE VII. SCOPE OF ACTIVITIESThe specific activities that may be dealt with by the Network are:
a. Organize consultations, conferences, workshops, seminars, trade platforms, research projects, courses and training programmes at regional, sub-regional and national levels
b. Conduct surveys on agriculture and other associated cooperatives and allied sectors in collaboration of the members of the Regional Network;
c. Organize observation tours/study programmes/exposure visits for policy makers, cooperative leaders and senior executives to study policies, programmes and field activities related to agricultural and other associated cooperative development;
d. Organize a staff exchange programme for in-depth, detail technical studies of or on-the job training in specific areas related to agricultural and other associated cooperatives development;
e. Collect, collate and disseminate success stories in regard to agricultural and other associated cooperative development;
f. Document and disseminate success stories in regard to agricultural and other associated cooperative development;
g. Promote mutual technical cooperation by providing expertise from one-member country to another on specific areas of agricultural and other associated cooperative development;
h. Establish newsletter or issue periodic information note/materials on agricultural and other associated cooperative development in the region through e-mails;
i. Promote trade among member organizations / countries; and
j. Develop an interactive website to link and access information on agricultural and other associated cooperative development in every member-institution or at least in one member institution of a country.
ARTICLE VIII. FUNDINGThe final resources of the Network shall be raised in any of the following means:
• Admission fee US$500 (new members); • Annual membership fee of US$2500 for Regular membership and US$1500 for Associate membership; • Voluntary contributions by members; • Grants and donations from donor agencies; • Project funds on acceptance of a programme of work of the network; • Contribution or grant by Government or Government bodies; • Contribution or grant by Government promoted or bodies; • National currency reserves particularly set apart for network programmes at the country level. Members institutions in addition to making their annual contributions and supplementary contributions may establish National Currency Funds with which they may pay moneys in their national currencies to be used for implementing NEDAC programmes and projects. Such national funds would be exclusively administered by the member institution concerned; and • Trust funds, Technical Cooperation Programmes (TCP) by international organizations, UNDP, ILO, FAO etc.. • Donations by any corporate body.
Subject to availability of funds (as may be decided by the Executive Committee on long term sustainable availability of funds) and provided however that the planned program and activities of the Network will not suffer, NEDAC-Funds may be used in providing travel cost by economy class of any airlines limited to one participant for each regular member participants to NEDAC-Meetings/Seminars etc. Associate Members are expected to join at their own expenses. If however, external funding is available for NEDAC technical meetings then they will be considered for financing travel costs as appropriate.
The ultimate authority in all matters relating to NEDAC shall vest in the General Assembly.
ARTICLE IX. MEETINGSThe General Assembly shall meet at least once in every two years. Each member institution including associate member institutions will be represented by one delegate.
The venue of the General Assembly of NEDAC will be decided by the Executive Committee in consultation with host member institution.
The General Assembly of NEDAC shall consist of the Chairman, the Co-Chairman, two Vice-Chairmen, Secretary General, permanent invitees and delegates as nominated by the members of NEDAC.
Every delegate representing the regular member institution of NEDAC present at the General Assembly shall have one vote each. The Chairman shall have a casting vote in the event of equality of votes.
The quorum for the General Assembly shall be one fifth of the total number of delegates of the General Assembly. No business shall be transacted at any General Assembly unless there is quorum at the time when the business of the General Assembly is due to commence. If within half an hour from the time appointed for the General Assembly, a quorum is not present, the General Assembly shall stand adjourned, provided that a General Assembly, which has been called on requisition of members, shall not be adjourned but dissolved. If at any time during the General Assembly sufficient number of members is not present to form a quorum, the Chairman may adjourn the General Assembly and the business that remains to be transacted shall be disposed off in the usual manner at the adjourned General Assembly. Where a General Assembly is adjourned, the adjourned General Assembly shall be held either on the same day or on such date, time and place as may be decided by the Chairman. No business shall be transacted at any adjourned General Assembly other than the business on the agenda of the previous adjourned General Assembly.
The Chairman of NEDAC and in his absence the Co-Chairman and in the absence of both the Chairman and the Co-Chairman, the Vice-Chairmen and in the absence of the Vice-Chairmen, any member elected by the General Assembly shall preside over the General Assembly.
The General Assembly may select and appoint an Auditor for auditing NEDAC annual financial statements. The Auditor may be a special invitee to attend the Executive Committee of NEDAC as and when necessary, without any voting rights. The agenda at the bi-annual meeting would include, but not limited to, the consideration of the following matters:
a. Report prepared by the Secretariat relating to activities carried out in the preceding year; b. Approval of tentative programme of work and budget for the following year to be prepared by the Secretariat in consultation with member institutions; c. Report on technical and other matters of interest; d. Admission of new members; e. Financial matters, and audited statements of accounts; f. Election of the members of the EXECOM; and g. Any other matters which any member may like to discuss with prior notification to the Secretariat.
ARTICLE X. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEThere shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the Chairman, the Co-Chairman, two Vice-Chairmen, Secretary General and elected members. The Secretary General will be the Member Secretary of the Executive Committee without any voting rights.
The Chairman, the Co-Chairman, two Vice-Chairmen and members of the Executive Committee shall be elected by the General Assembly from among the regular member institutions present during General Assembly meeting. They shall hold office for a period of two years and shall be eligible to be re-elected to the same office. The institutions which have defaulted in payment of membership fee shall have no voting right to elect the Chairman, the Co-Chairman, two Vice- Chairmen and the members.
The number of members of the Executive Committee shall be decided in the following manner:
(a) Any country having three or more regular member institutions shall have more than one member in the Executive Committee at a ratio of 3:1.
(b) Other members shall be elected from other countries having less than 3 regular member institutions. However, each country shall have one member in the Executive Committee.
The representative of the Organization sponsoring the General Assembly shall be co-opted as a Co-Chairman for a period of two years.
FAO, ILO, ICA-AP and APRACA are permanent invitees to the Executive Committee of NEDAC with no voting rights. They have the right to participate in the deliberations but will have no voting right in case a decision is needed to concur by the Executive Committee. Representatives of FAO, ILO, ICA-AP and APRACA shall serve as resource persons to shed light on the agenda at hand and share best experiences in handling the matter.
The services of the members of NEDAC including the permanent invitees, members of the Committees and Sub-Committees other than the Chairman, the Co-Chairman, the Vice- Chairmen and Secretary General of NEDAC shall be gratuitous and they shall only draw Daily Subsistence Allowance for attending meetings of the NEDAC from their parent institutions. However, suitable arrangements for stay and local conveyance at the place of meeting shall be provided to the Chairman, the Co-Chairman, the Vice-Chairmen and Secretary General of NEDAC if they attend the meetings. Expenditure on account of such items of expenditure shall be met out of the general resources of NEDAC.
The Executive Committee will be responsible in directing the affairs of the Network. During their term, it should:
a. Provide the general policy direction of the Network;
b. Formulate the annual and strategic plan of the network, and review/assess its status of implementation;
c. Establish policies and procedures for the effective operation of the network and ensure proper implementation of such;
d. Engage the services of an external auditor appointed by General Assembly to annually audit the financial condition of the network;
e. Create Special Committees / Working Groups, when needed for specific plan /program of the network;
f. Establish the minimum qualification criteria and other relevant criteria of the Secretary General of the Network and appointment and removal of the services of the Secretary General of the Network in due course;
g. Call General Assembly meeting of the members of the network; h. Recommend to the General Assembly the approval of the plans and programs of the Network;
i. Submit report to the General Assembly the Network activities annually;
j. Submit annual programme of work and the annual budget;
k. Submit the financial reports on annual contributions, cash flow and such other salient statements as may be needed in Network operations;
l. Meet once a year at least funded by the Network or authorize the Executive Committee to arrange for adoption of resolutions submitted by member institutions by seeking consent of members by correspondence; and
m. Formulate rules and regulations which may be necessary and appropriate to conduct the operations of the Network, provided they are not inconsistent with the articles, and by-laws of the Network, for ratification.
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