Identification of socioeconomics and environmental demands in solidarity cooperativism: a study case of family farm cooperatives in west of Parana

Abstract

The present study consists in an exploratory research aiming identify the socioeconomic and
environmental demands of family farm cooperatives. Meetings were held with the cooperative
actors in the region and visits to 5 cooperatives in the West of Paraná, diagnosing the
main demands regarding the management of organizations, in the social, productive and environmental
dimensions. It was verified that the main problems of them are the organizational
management, little knowledge of the managers in technical and administrative actions and
the low participation of the members in the decision making actions. The conclusion is that
cooperative farmers should receive structuring capacities, which strengthen the ties of cooperativism,
leadership, use of technologies, strategic planning and administrative, organizational
and marketing management, in order to promote their empowerment and self-management of
social organizations in rural areas.