The relevance of Cooperatives: education, economy and sustainability

According to data from the International Cooperative Alliance, 12% of the global population is linked to some kind of cooperative, with more than 3 million cooperative institutions. These cooperatives often present opportunities, resources and alternatives not only for access to credit in the market, but also for the education of citizens through the exchange of knowledge, expertise and cooperation between those who are part of this type of organization.

Many cooperatives work directly to educate and train their members and their respective families, dealing with more sustainable and fair agriculture and agricultural production, with the constant application of more effective and efficient technology and methods.

With the theme “cooperatives build a better world”, the proposal for the year aims to highlight the global impact of cooperatives, listing them as essential solutions to global challenges, focusing on contributions to sustainable development in social, economic and environmental dimensions, linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Thus, the proposals for the International Year of Cooperatives – 2025 aim to:

List and value the contributions of cooperatives to the sustainable development, locally and globally;
Strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem and cooperative establishments, providing new market openings;
Encourage the creation of favorable legal and political environments for cooperatives worldwide, listening to their demands and proposals;
Promote and inspire, especially among young people, the importance of the cooperative movement.
Thus, the proposal of the CRECIN research and extension group aims to develop activities in schools, university extension spaces and with society, through lectures, debates, dynamics and the use of teaching resources such as games and models to demonstrate the importance and relevance of cooperatives, seeking to value their role within the economy, environment and society.

Topics covered

– The benefits of Cooperatives
– What they are, what they promote, and how they work
– Assistance among cooperative members
– Examples of cooperatives in Brazil – honey, cocoa, milk, cheese
– Economic and local development
– What are educational cooperatives?
– Learning from your own experience
– Sustainability