Rural Development
Within the many tiers of impoverished people of Nicaragua, the rural poor reside very near to the bottom of the list. They labor in an increasingly global marketplace which, both nationally and internationally, has imposed practices and rules that create artificial impediments to their success. These obstacles are in addition to the unimaginably difficult natural circumstances which they face in terrain, weather, growing cycles, seed/soil compatibility and other factors. WPF recognizes the central impact of agriculture on the lives and well-being of Nicaraguans, especially those who directly strive to raise and sell crops and animals for their livelihoods. WPF seeks associations of such workers to assist in building community supports and markets for continuous development of these micro-agricultural efforts.
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Cooperative Development
WPF has identified cooperativism as a critical component of overall economic development. WPF has commissioned research and publication on the topic as related to coffee cooperatives (see the two linked entries under “Pages” on the left side of the WPF homepage) as well as several related workshops. These gatherings have included producers, buyers, technical support agencies and funders to engage the key actors in thinking strategically and collaboratively about their future.
WORKSHOP ON COOPERATIVES
Based upon its longstanding work with rural cooperatives, WPF commissioned in 2010 a series of research-based studies on the status of these, especially the coffee cooperatives. (See these studies in full itemized under the “Pages” tab of the WPF homepage.) The studies led to expanded conversations among the various entities involved in the coffee process and eventually suggested that these entities might benefit greatly by better understanding each others’ roles and issues within the process. Thus, a series of three, three-day workshops was born in 2011, with participants including producers, buyers, technical support agencies, second-tier cooperatives and funders.
These workshops have proven to be interactive, revealing and helpful to the 30+ participants, who have repeatedly asked for more opportunities to engage in such give-and-take. The uniqueness of the participant diversity and the practical content has led to requests from other communities for similar programming.
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SOPPEXCCA
SOPPEXCCA is a second-tier cooperative, serving as a union of 17 grassroots coffee cooperatives in the province of Jinotega. Serving 750 small-scale producer members, their mission extends beyond the necessary organizational and business needs of the producers. Theirs is an holistic approach to the broad well-being of its members in all dimensions: economic, social, political, environmental, health and community participation. As part of this conceptual approach, SOPPEXCCA maintains a high degree of participation by women producers, both as direct loan recipients and as beneficiaries. It’s a visionary organization in an intensely competitive industry.
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EFFORT AND UNITY COOPERATIVE
Effort and Unity Coop
Becoming familiar with this coop is just like meeting a very good employee-owned corporation. Just follow their vision and mission:
“…to be an entrepreneurial organization, self-sustainable, trustworthy, service-oriented with technical and financial capacity to positively impact socio-economic development and the quality of life of each and every one of its members and the population in general.”
“To be a cooperative with sustained growth, renowned for its cooperative and social leadership, that is constructing a business culture of solidarity, competition, personalized assistance with quality and human warmth, qualified human resources and appropriate technology, excellent internal communication negotiating resources for the development of projects and other services.”
They state it clearly, but they are also living it, having sustained their enterprise since 1996 with strong management, tight solidarity and no outside funding beyond their own contributions. Winds of Peace recognized an opportunity to support this independent organization in its strategic planning efforts, beginning in 2009.
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SANTA MARIA
Members of Santa Maria Network of Promoters
This very grassroots organization serves 35 communities in the northern reaches of the municipality of Santa Maria. WPF funding is supporting the overall strengthening of the cooperative, including acquisition of equipment to aid in recordkeeping, provision of technical assistance, promotion of environmental activities and exchange of experiences within and outside of the cooperative.
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MACUELIZO
New Macuelizo Board
Similar to the Santa Maria Network Cooperative in its genesis and objectives, the Macuelizo Network Cooperative is very grassroots, rural and in hope of overall institutional development. It serves 15 communities and some 80 families with technical and administrative support, teaching best practices in conservation and biodiversity, and engendering support and participation of members in the holistic strengthening of their communities.
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JOSE ALFREDO ZELEDON COOPERATIVE
This group is one of the most successful of the small, grassroots cooperatives in the San Juan del Rio Coco region. Every member of the 82-family coop contributes to the loan fund out of his/her own profits. They are becoming increasingly diverse as they develop supply store facilities for their members, develop honey production and further develop their coffee production, all of which is cultivated around a concept of holistic coop development.
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