Desenvolvimento local e o cooperativismo: o caso da Cooperativa de Produção e Comercialização da Agricultura Familiar do Sudoeste da Bahia - COOPROAF no território médio Rio das Contas-Ba

Abstract

The overall objective of the research is to explore the relationship between local development theory and cooperativism in order to understand how these two approaches can contribute to the development of identity territories. The research focuses on a case study of the Cooperative of Production and Commercialization of Family Agriculture of the Southwest of Bahia (COOPROAF), which operates in the production and commercialization of native fruits from the sertão, especially umbu, involving local farmers in the municipality of Manoel Vitorino. The choice of this theme is justified by the author's experience in the cooperative, in the teachings and knowledge acquired on a daily basis, as well as because of the importance of cooperativism as a tool to promote social inclusion and local development, especially in regions where family agriculture is an important activity. The research seeks, therefore, to contribute to the understanding of the role of cooperatives in order to generate subsidies for the elaboration of public policies that encourage the development of social organizations in this sector. The methodology adopted in the research includes participant research, in which one can build the work together with the group, and the case study, focusing on COOPROAF. The results and conclusions obtained through the research were limited to the particularities of the cooperative under study, but, even so, they can generate important reflections on the role of cooperativism in local development. Thus, it is recommended that the research contributes to the elaboration of public policies that encourage the development of cooperatives and other social organizations in this sector, promoting the economic and social development of regions where family agriculture is an important activity