Profile: Coop agr dos prod org de neva resend e regiao, brazil

About

Coop Agr dos Prod Org de Neva Resende e Regiao is a small farmer cooperative of 109 members. The mountainous landscapes and high altitude make the region ideal for coffee production. Most of the region is composed of small producers, who depend mostly on the family for household and plantation work.

The lack of education, strong commercialisation experience, and opportunities of most producers, make the majority vulnerable to intermediaries, who usually pay low prices for the coffee.

The organisation was founded due to a rising awareness of environmental structures and the promotion of the formation of cooperatives and associations by the local government. Due to environmental awareness, the organisation worked to become organic certified and then, in 2006, Fairtrade certified.

Impact of Fairtrade

The Fairtrade price has enabled Coop Agr dos Prod Org de Nova Resende e Regiao to establish various social and productive programs

Education:

The cooperative donates fresh fruit and vegetables to local schools, daycares, and hospitals.

Productive Investment:

Coopervitae financed a study of productivity, environmental conservation, input use and related issues.

Transportation Improvements:

The cooperative contracts a truck to transport the coffee from the farms to the co-op’s warehouse.

“Fair Trade sales changed my way of working and thinking. The cooperative pays better and the producers in my region are now able to commercialize coffee directly with the importers.”

– Geraldo Amaro da Silva, Coopervitae member