Cooperatives as Hybrid Approach to pull off Sustainable Livelihoods Development through Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A Desk Review

Cooperatives are more relevant than ever if we look ahead at the development challenges and opportunities the world faces over the coming decades, and are being a key vehicle for sustainable livelihoods. This paper is an analytical review made by desk research of Cooperatives on the realization of sustainable development goals for enhancing livelihoods of people with multiple case studies approach. The cases highlight the contribution of cooperatives to sustainable development and showcase on the role of cooperatives in the design and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Cases prove that cooperatives help create more equitable growth by generating economics of scale, and improving bargaining power; tackle rural poverty by increasing the productivity and incomes of small scale farmers; expand poor people’s access to financial services, can provide a range of services such as health care, housing and utilities; provide an opportunity for self-determination and empowerment of poor people and enable their members to have a voice and participate in a democratic process, thus having empowering development effects beyond their economic benefits. Cooperatives can help with conflict resolution, peace-building, social inclusion and social cohesion because they bring together people they can build trust and solidarity leading to greater social stability. By considering the evidences on the contributions and achievements made by Cooperatives in all sectors of economy and in all aspects of the life of people, cooperatives can be considered as hybrid approach that makes it more acquiescent than other business models to pull off sustainable development and livelihoods of world community through contributions towards SDGs.