Abbreviations Used:

The Alliance: the International Co-operative Alliance, see http://ica.coop

FAO: United Nations food and Agriculture organization, see http://www.fao.org

ILO: International Labour organisation, see http://www.ilo.org

IYC: United Nations International year of Co-operatives 2012, see http://social.un.org/coopsyear/

UN: the United Nations, see http://www.un.org