FORUS Digital, a cooperative-focused digital infrastructure provider, and DotCooperation LLC, the organisation behind the .coop domain, have partnered to expand access to trusted digital identities for cooperatives across Africa.
Under the partnership, FORUS will act as DotCooperation’s designated partner for promotion and implementation across the continent, supporting eligible cooperatives, federations and apex bodies with adopting and using .coop identities. The agreement combines DotCooperation’s cooperative identity infrastructure with FORUS’s network, delivery capabilities and technical support.
The .coop domain gives eligible cooperative organisations a distinct digital identity connected to the wider global cooperative movement. The partnership will focus on driving practical adoption through outreach campaigns, webinars, conferences, onboarding support, technical assistance, digital service integration and case studies, alongside promotion through cooperative platforms including WorldMap.coop and Stories.coop.
FORUS said the initiative is intended to go beyond establishing an online identity by connecting cooperatives with wider digital services. Depending on individual requirements and necessary approvals, this could include member and organisation onboarding, payments, commerce and procurement, as well as connections between cooperative economies. The aim is to improve the visibility and discoverability of African cooperatives while maintaining their independent ownership, governance structures and member relationships.
The model is already being applied through several sector-specific initiatives. With the World Agriculture Forum, FORUS supports TerraNexus, an agricultural cooperative ecosystem designed to connect national and primary cooperatives and farmer members with markets, financing, technology and investment. The Forum provides its global network and Country Councils, while FORUS supports cooperative enablement, identity verification, workflow connections and financial infrastructure.
In India, FORUS is piloting a programme with Punjab-based Unati Co-operative Marketing-cum-Processing Society Ltd, connecting rural producers with processing, value-added services, technology and markets. In South Africa, FORUS has developed WOW-Connect for the Eastern Cape Transport Tertiary Co-operative, integrating membership, identity, payments, connectivity and fleet operations into a single digital system.
DotCooperation supports the digital identity and visibility of the global cooperative movement through the .coop domain and related cooperative identity services. These services are available to cooperative organisations and enterprises that meet the applicable eligibility requirements.
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