Cooperative Societies Proclamation No. 985/2016.

This Proclamation provides for the creation, registration and administration of cooperatives and provides rule with respect to their operations, winding up, etc. It also defines the objectives of a cooperative and provides for the establishment of cooperative societies unions and cooperative societies federations. Cooperative societies may, according to their nature, be established at different levels from primary up to federation level. Any cooperative society shall be registered by the appropriate authority (i.e. the Federal Cooperative Agency, or an organ established at regional levels to execute the cooperative societies proclamation, lead and regulate the cooperative sector). A cooperative societies union shall be establish by two or more primary cooperative societies having similar objectives. Primary cooperative societies, cooperative society unions and federations may establish a league that represents all cooperative societies in Ethiopia. The Proclamation establishes a Cooperative Advisory Council, which is accountable to the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resource is hereby established. Cooperatives may provide services to non-members on the basis of a contract for the purpose, amongst others, to supply agricultural inputs and collect agricultural products from farmers engaged in farming. The Proclamation defines duties of cooperative societies with respect to the environment. The duties and responsibilities of cooperative societies include; a) provide awareness creation to the local community on the concept of cooperative society and promote same; b) participate on environmental development and protection activities; c) provide pre and post harvest training to members in respect of quality products; d) provide warehouse service to members; e) design projects intended to solve members problem; f) collect members product, add value and submit to their union or federation, or sale by searching for better market outlets, among others.