Our Research Associate, Ranjitha Kumar, authored a paper titled, ‘Realising Data Cooperatives in the Digital Epoch: SEWA’s Journey to Reclaim Agri-Value Chains’ for the sixth issue of COOP Dialogue on Positioning Cooperatives in the Gig and Platform Economy, published by the International Cooperative Alliance.
The issue delves into the potential of cooperatives in addressing the inherent challenges of the gig and platform economy. Through a series of case studies and expert analyses, the issue explores how cooperatives are being leveraged to empower marginalised communities, enhance economic stability, and promote sustainable development.
In her paper, Ranjitha explores the transformative impact of agri-digitalization on food systems, dominated by Big Agri at the expense of small farmers in India. It advocates for Indian cooperatives to reclaim digital innovation through alternative data ownership models, emphasizing worker-centric digitalization to empower marginalized farmers. It discusses the complexities of digitalizing cooperatives in the Global South, highlighting technological, financial, and governance hurdles. Despite challenges from data capitalism, the paper explores how initiatives like the SEWA Federation's data cooperative aim to democratize data benefits.
Read the paper here.