Background about the establishment & development of the co-operative movement in Jordan
The establishment & development of the co-operative movement in Jordan could be briefed by the following four stages :
THE FIRST STAGE (1952-1962):
This stage began by issuing the first co-operative law number (39) for the year (1952), according to which the Co-operative Eestablishment Department was set up.
Its task was to spread the co-operative awareness & register the co-operative associations, supervise, observe & financing them.
This law was adjusted after(4) years with law number (17) for the year 1956.
In 1959, the Jordanian Central Co-operative Union was established & was registed as a subsidary association that would serve the co-operative movement through the Co-operative Establishment Department.
The organizer of the co-operative movement focused on the Jordanian rular areas, where co-operative associations for credit & saving were established in addition to the cultural associations .The main reasons behind the establishment of such associations are:
- Economically:The spread of usurious interest & monopoly
- Socially: The principle of co-operative stems from the need.
The most important features of this stage is lake of finance due to lack of the designated money for the co-operative movement,where the loans granted for the co-operative associations were only seasonal,in addition to organizational & administrative problems represented in the lack of trained employees.
THE SECOND STAGE (1963-1972):
The co-operative movement expanded & the interest in establishing the association increased ,where the following co-operative institutions were set up in this stage :
- The Co-operative Institute:
It was found in (1963) upon the Cabinet’s resolution number (47) for the year (1963) .Its task focused on co-operative education & training.
- The Bookkeeping Monitoring Union:
It was found in (1963) as a subsidary association which aims at monitoring the bookkeeping of the co-operative associations.
The second stage was characterized by the comprehensive organization of the Jordanian Co-operative movement ,where the Jordanian Cooperative Corporation (JCC) was established according to the interim co-operative law number (55) for the year (1968), the main institutions of the co-operative movement (the Central Co-operative Union & the Bookkeeping monitoring Union) were merged in the (JCC) in order to contribute in devising the adjusted bases that would adapt with the development & modernization in society through setting out & establishing specialized sections & departments which would serve the co-operative movement.
During this stage , the co-operative law number (20) was issued for the year (1971) , in addition to the co-operative associations system number (1) for the year (1970) in a bid to complete the co-operative structure & the best organizationof the co-operative movement in order to implement the goals & principles within the legislative framework.
THE THIRD STAGE (1973-1998):
The JCC achieved a quantitive success at the beginning of this stage, especially in the early 1980s until 1985, whether in terms of the offered various services, the establishment of associations or in providing the technical & administrative cadre.
The JCC & the cooperative associations faced the tough decision of freezing the activities of the cooperative bank in 1988(the JCC & the Cooperative Bank stopped giving loans……etc) upon the Cabinet’s resolution number 12365/14/c, dated October 10,1988, & the consequences of this decision which affected the fund resources.
The JCC grabbed this opportunity to reconsider some of the policies which preceeded this decision, where it re-arranged its financial & administrative conditions. JCC also proposed the issue of restructure & giving priority to the special efforts exerted by the members of the cooperative associtions to serve their associtions under the supervision of JCC.
By JCC at that time until the issuance of the new cooperative law number (18) for the year (1997), according to which the Joranian Cooperative Corporation was found:
1- Concentrating on establishing productive cooperative associations in the rular areas & Badia.
2- Concentrating on implementing small productive projects.
3- Modifying the activites of the associations to include the various economic sectors…agricultural, industrial, professional & tourist sectors & others in an attempt to decrease the phenomenon of unemployment.
4- Giving priority to agricultural projects to produce strategic food stuff in order to minimize the food gap.
5- Providing the requirements of agricultural production in order to decrease the production cost on one hand, & to stabalize its price on the other.
6- Concentrating on training, education & cooperative guidance in addition to cooperation with the related institutions in this field.
7- Encouraging the establishment of marketing
Cooperative associations.
8- Relying on the local citizens in determining the activities of the productive cooperative associations according to the community’s need.
9- Encouraging the set up of cooperative associations in the field of hand craft, especially for the women sector in the rural areas & Badia.
10-Concentrating on using the resources of the loca
environment with regard to preserving the
environment.
THE FOURTH STAGE (1993-2002):
The JCC doubled its efforts in supporting & developing the Jordaian cooperative movement through the cooperative asspciations by considering & restructuring the cooperative sector. The cooperative law number (18) for the year 1997, granted the JCC the official feature as a general institution that is independent financially & administratively. Also the associations system number (13) was issued in 1998.
The most prominent feature of this stag are the following :
1- The cooperative associations & unions enjoyed relative
feature that is independent financially & administratively
2- Re-structuring the cooperative sector & decreasing the
cadres’ number to the minimum level, where the surplus
of employees were distributed within the government
institutions.
3- Economizing the ongoing expenses & decreasing the
capital expenditure.
4- Reconsidering the conditions of the JCC in light of the available capabilities.
5- Adherence to implementing the valid active rules & laws in Jordan according to the Cooperative law.
6- Achieving increasing growth in registering the housing associations & other association.
7- Stop managing some unsuccessful animal wealth project.
8- Re concentrating on cooperative education & training.
9- Concentrating on cooperative guidance .
In conclusion, we find that the successive cooperative policies have taken into consideration some aspects that concern the individuals & groups from the economic perpective, such as self-reiance & encouraging the cooperation among the cooperative associations, in addition to concentrating on integration in rural development.
The most important outcomes of implementing these policies are as follows :
1- Providing food security by doubling the food production.
2- Decreasing the phenomenon of unemployment, in addition to using technology in agriculture & management.
3- Hindering immigration from rural areas to the cities.
4- Concentrating or the rural development, which is the most important part of comprehensive development.
5- The best utilization of the individuals efforts & capitals through the Cooperative Association.
