Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada

Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada Strengthening co-operatives to empower people, reduce poverty, create sustainable solutions, and transform lives.

The Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF Canada) is an international development charity that helps improve the lives of women, men, children and their communities through co-operatives. We envision a world where self-reliant communities flourish. CDF Canada is working with local partners in Africa, Asia, Latin America and in Eastern Europe to establish and grow community-owned co-op

eratives. that help people achieve more prosperous, self-reliant lives. CDF and the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) amalgamated in 2017 under the CDF Canada brand.

Great Global Canada’s Foreign Policy—Global Affairs Canada post on CDF Voice project. If you want to volunteer and show ...
08/04/2026

Great Global Canada’s Foreign Policy—Global Affairs Canada post on CDF Voice project. If you want to volunteer and show the power of coops and Credit unions, there is still positions opened!

Do you want to make a difference and learn how the power of Cooperatives and Credit Unions can change the lives of peopl...
07/30/2026

Do you want to make a difference and learn how the power of Cooperatives and Credit Unions can change the lives of people around the world? Consider becoming a Board member of the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF). This year the Board is looking to attract skills in the areas of Financial Management, Agriculture and International Development. Applications are now open. Go to our wesite to know more: https://lnkd.in/gawd5bx2

News from our projet in Malawi. Significant investments are being made to strengthen integrated aquaculture and agricul...
07/27/2026

News from our projet in Malawi. Significant investments are being made to strengthen integrated aquaculture and agriculture systems across Malawi. Through the NORAD funded IAAM Project, CDF Canada and its implementation partner, Community Agribusiness Partners (CAP), sustainable food production is scaling up across multiple districts.

Recent progress on the ground includes:

Expanding Hatcheries: Assessed 43 hatchery operators and selected 16 to improve the availability of quality fingerlings.

Demonstration Sites: Established 40 Integrated Aquaculture-Agriculture System demonstration sites, supporting pond expansion, fencing, agronomic plots, livestock pens, production inputs, and fish stocking.

Pioneering Cage Culture: Introduced Malawi's first integrated inland cage aquaculture system by installing three cage culture systems at Chaliwa, Kaonemo, and Ibuluma Dams.

Capacity Building: Trained 75 cooperative farmers in cage management and operations to build local capacity for sustainable production.

Innovation requires continuous support. To ensure long-term success, the project provides ongoing technical assistance, responds to emerging challenges, and has replaced affected enterprises when losses occurred to keep beneficiaries engaged and activities on track.

In Canada, dairy farmers have lived by the same rhythm for generations, though their enemy is winter, not drought. When...
07/20/2026

In Canada, dairy farmers have lived by the same rhythm for generations, though their enemy is winter, not drought. When the snow comes, the pastures disappear just as surely as they do in Kajiado under a dry sky and survival depends on the hay gathered while the fields were still green. Two very different climates, but one shared wisdom: prepare for scarcity and harvest in abundance. It's a reminder that farming communities around the world are often writing the same story in different landscapes, and that there is real strength in sharing those similar experiences and learning from each other.In Kajiado County, drought is not an exception — it is a recurring fact of life. For the Maasai women dairy farmers who depend on livestock, it can mean losing everything: animals, income, food security.

CDF Canada project and its Strategic Innovation Fund is changing the odds. The SIF allows for our Canadian volunteers to fund projects they find can help the local community. In this case, our volunteer Aude Roy-Blanchette came up with an impactful innitiative.

Two dairy cooperatives — Maasai Women Dairy Cooperative Society and Samuli Dairy Cooperative — received hay harvesting equipment, tools, and drought-resistant fodder seeds through a SIF initiative targeting 3,200 women cooperative members. Fast-growing fodder is already in the ground, supporting natural regeneration and enabling seed recycling for future seasons. The goal is simple and transformative: when drought comes, the livestock survive. And so do the women who depend on them.

This is climate resilience built from the ground up — by women, for women, in one of Kenya's most vulnerable regions. Thank you Aude Roy-Blanchette for your leadership!

Do you want to make a difference and learn how the power of Cooperatives and Credit Unions can change the lives of peopl...
07/14/2026

Do you want to make a difference and learn how the power of Cooperatives and Credit Unions can change the lives of people around the world? Consider becoming a Board member of the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF). This year the Board is looking to attract skills in the areas of Financial Management, Agriculture and International Development. Applications are now open. Go to our wesite to know more: https://lnkd.in/gawd5bx2

When the sun goes down in off-grid villages in Ethiopia's Oromia region, the day used to end. No light, no radio, no way...
07/02/2026

When the sun goes down in off-grid villages in Ethiopia's Oromia region, the day used to end. No light, no radio, no way to work or earn after dark.

112 marginalized and widowed women now have solar lamps — and evenings that belong to them.

Supported by the Strategic Innovation Fund, each woman received a solar device that extends productive hours by 2–4 per evening. Some charge neighbours' phones for 20–60 ETB a day. Others access health information through radio. All of them have reduced their reliance on kerosene, lowering both costs and indoor air pollution. 253 people directly benefited from this inititave. 392 more people benefit indirectly. From a single lamp. That's the multiplier effect of investing in women.

# Ethiopia

🌍 ♀️ We are so excited to share that the Women’s Mentorship Program 2026 has officially launched, welcoming 16 incredibl...
05/20/2026

🌍 ♀️ We are so excited to share that the Women’s Mentorship Program 2026 has officially launched, welcoming 16 incredible women from Ghana, Ethiopia, and Kenya for a month-long leadership, mentorship, and women’s empowerment experience within the Canadian credit union sector.

We are currently on Day 2 of two weeks of classroom learning in Ottawa before each participant heads off to communities across Canada for an intensive placement with a Canadian credit union.

It has already been such a privilege getting to know these inspiring women, and we are looking forward to a month filled with growth, learning, connection, and sisterhood.
Stay tuned over the coming weeks as we share more about their experiences, learning journeys, and the incredible exchanges taking place through WMP 2026!

Address

350 Sparks Street, Suite 906
Ottawa, ON
K1R7S8

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category