The Environment and Rural Development Foundation (ERuDeF) through the Echinops giganteus project has set up a management structure in Magha community-Bamumbu Village Southwest Region. The co-operative known as “Mount Bamboutos Echinops Co-operative Society” and abbreviated as MoBECoS will assist in the marketing of echinops and other environmental products.

The constitutive meeting of the co-operative was held in the Chief’s Palace last December in the presence of 27 founding members. The idea of creating a co-operative is to create a complete channel in which the Echinops roots will be commercialized in a sustainable way. This falls under the formalization of ABS commitment with the local community.

During the constitutive meeting, the status of the co-operative, earlier prepared was read and adopted by the founding members of the co-operative. The meeting continued with the signing of the status of the co-operative by board members and other administrative procedures were done to kick start the cooperative. Founding members of MoBECoS discussed on the strategies to form their shared capital.

The news of a cooperative brought joy to the people of Magha. The chief and the rest of the community present in the constitutive meeting were so happy and they pledged that, their community would be committed and fully involved in the Echinops giganteus project implementation and management.

By Lea Kenmene