AS part of the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives, stakeholders from Latin America and the Caribbean gathered at a regional event to discuss the role of cooperatives in agri-food systems.

The event promoted the exchange of experiences and strategies to enhance their contributions to the region’s productive and territorial development.

May 19, 2025. Santiago, Chile- The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with Cooperatives of the Americas—the regional branch of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA)—and the Chilean Institute of Associations and Cooperatives (INAC), hosted the first regional meeting as part of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 activities. Titled “The Role of Cooperatives in Transforming Agri-food Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the event brought together representatives from governments, international organizations, and cooperatives across the region.

The event brought together representatives from governments, international organizations, and cooperatives across the region. The opening session featured remarks by Máximo Torero, Chief Economist, Assistant Director-General, and Acting Regional Representative of FAO for Latin America and the Caribbean; Danilo Salerno, Regional Director of Cooperatives of the Americas; Marco Llinás, Director of the Division of Productive and Business Development at ECLAC; and María Ignacia Fernández, Chile’s Undersecretary of Agriculture.

The event promoted the exchange of experiences and best practices, strengthened alliances among cooperatives, governments, the private sector, financial institutions, and international organizations, and identified challenges and opportunities to reinforce the role of cooperatives in productive and territorial development.

Máximo Torero emphasised that “the transformation of agri-food systems should not only be about producing more with less, but also about achieving better distribution. In this process, cooperatives can accelerate changes that would otherwise be ineffective or unattainable.”

He added, “Cooperatives allow family farmers and small-scale producers to access economies of scale, facilitating access to financing, technology, precision agriculture, and markets. At the FAO, we are generating concrete evidence on how the cooperative sector can integrate small producers into national and regional value chains, thereby enhancing their competitiveness and sustainability.”

Ignacia Fernández emphasised that “promoting cooperativism with a gender focus is not only a social demand but also a prerequisite for justice and sustainability within the cooperative sector and agri-food systems as a whole.”

Danilo Salerno added, “Collaboration is reflected in the added value we provide, securing markets for products, incorporating innovation and transformation, and ensuring quality-all of which help reduce the cost of diets.” He also underscored the potential of FAO-led methodologies, such as the Hand-in-Hand initiative, to strengthen cooperative development.

In response to the structural challenges facing agri-food systems in the region, participants emphasized the need to strengthen public policies, improve infrastructure, and update regulatory frameworks that recognize the strategic value of cooperatives.

To achieve this, they proposed expanding technical and financial support, integrating cooperatives into productive development programs, and promoting intersectoral collaboration. They also called for progress in implementing the Model Cooperative Law and encouraging the active participation of family farmers, women, and youth.

REGIONAL DATA
As part of the collaboration between Cooperatives of the Americas, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), a detailed mapping of agri-food cooperatives in the region is underway. Preliminary findings indicate that there are 14,758 agricultural and food cooperatives across the Americas.

These cooperatives bring together over 3.6 million members and directly employ approximately 1.2 million people, demonstrating their significance in agri-food systems and the rural social economy.

MODEL COOPERATIVE LAW
During the event, participants reaffirmed their commitment to promoting the Model Cooperative Law, which was approved by the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO) in December 2024.

Participants also highlighted the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding with the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), which renews the cooperation agreement to strengthen cooperatives in Latin America and the Caribbean.