SOCODEVI - Societe de Cooperation pour le Developpement International Member

SOCODEVI is a network of cooperatives and mutuals that share their technical expertise and knowledge with partners in developing countries.

We strengthen cooperative, mutual and associative enterprises to build wealth in communities.
We propose innovative solutions for sustainable integration of businesses into markets.
We strengthen the skills of entrepreneurs and place the expertise of our network at your disposal.
Since 1985, we measure our success by the capacity of our enterprises to become reference models in their environment based on their sustainability and the impact of their activities.

Our ultimate objective: improved living conditions for the populations that we assist around the world.

Our impact in numbers

• 9.5% reduction in poverty in supported communities

• +35% increase in average household agricultural income

• +30% increase in the Women’s Empowerment Index

• Cooperative revenues multiplied by 4

• Cooperative assets multiplied by 30

• Over 88% of cooperatives have improved their performance score

• Strengthened cooperative governance and inclusive value chains

These results confirm the effectiveness of our long-term approach in creating measurable change at the local level.

Our record

• 1000+ cooperative and associative enterprises supported

• 14 million people benefiting

• 42 countries on 4 continents

• 800+ technical assistance missions carried out by our network of member institutions

• 500+ projects completed

Our current reach

• $30 million annual budget

• Over 1 million people affected

• 17 countries, 275 partner cooperatives

• 350+ employees worldwide, including 55 in Québec

• 1st partner of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in Québec and its leading partner in agriculture

Our mission

Through the involvement of its member institutions and through the promotion of the cooperative and mutual movement and other forms of association, SOCODEVI contributes to sustainable development in partner countries with a view to empowering their inhabitants.

Our Approach

The SOCODEVI service offer is based on using the tools of cooperatives and mutuals as an effective means to create, safeguard and distribute wealth in developing countries.

This formula delivers concrete results:

• Improved living conditions for communities

• Better distribution of wealth

• Hundreds of profitable associative enterprises that foster community empowerment for development

• Thousands of women taking part equitably in decision making within organizations

• Strong environmental outcomes and increased community resilience

Our story

In 1985, cooperatives and mutuals in Québec came together to form an organization that would enable them to share their experiences and expertise with organizations of the global South.

The result was SOCODEVI, the Société de coopération pour le développement international, a Canadian non-profit corporation.

Our intervention model

• Family enterprises: We promote sustainable access to resources and empower women and men to reach economic autonomy and social inclusion.

• Cooperative enterprises: We support the development of inclusive, autonomous, profitable and sustainable cooperatives to foster innovative economic structures.

• Stakeholders: We build inclusive partnerships between civil society, governments and the private sector for the benefit of the most vulnerable communities.

Our expertise

• Agri-food and agroforestry

• Social housing and services

• Cooperative development

• Gender equality and women’s empowerment

• Environment and climate change adaptation

• Sustainable forestry

• Agricultural risk management

Thematic focus

Gender equality and women’s empowerment
We facilitate women’s access to and control over resources and benefits, promoting equitable participation in cooperative and associative enterprises.
→ Results show a 30% improvement in the women’s empowerment index among participants.

Environmental protection, mitigation & adaptation to climate change
SOCODEVI supports initiatives that increase climate resilience and environmental awareness.
→ Our programs have led to the planting of more than 9 million trees and our organization is carbon neutral for four years.

Agricultural risk management
We help rural families access land, inputs, agricultural credit, and insurance products—securing their incomes and increasing access to appropriate financial services.

Our tools

• PerformCoop: A change management approach and digital platform to strengthen cooperatives

• Farmer Field Schools: An inclusive, hands-on training model tailored to rural realities

• JGO: Our web-based project financial management software

• ImpactCoop: A digital platform for project monitoring, evaluation and learning