AgroaldeaTHE PROJECT CONTEMPLATES THE CONDUCTION OF COURSES, SEMINARS AND PERSONALIZED ADVICE SESSIONS.
The General Consumer Association (Asgeco Confederation) execution has begun
the 'Cooperative Flavor' project. Organic shops at the local level, co-financed by the European Social Fund through the Employerde Program of the Biodiversity Foundation.
The project's priority objectives are to increase the distribution of organic products in conventional stores and, especially, in consumer and user cooperatives and generate new lines of business in the field of organic products.
The project actions will take place in Castilla-La Mancha, Estremadura, Canary Islands, Balearics, Cantabria, La Rioja and the Community of Madrid until October 2012.
The project aims to contribute to the strengthening of organic product markets at the local level., betting on a short cycle distribution and taking advantage of the synergies generated between the different actors in the territories.
According to the director of the 'Cooperative Flavor' Project, Ana Ceballo, “In the framework of a new model of sustainable consumption, it is absolutely necessary that organic products are part of the basic shopping basket of citizens”.
Ceballo has also pointed out that the project faces three challenges: collaborate with local producers by shortening distribution circuits and providing them with greater security in their production; introduce organic products into small and medium distribution as a more sales line; and demystify the organic product as a product for a consumer with high purchasing power.
'Sabor Cooperativo' has the direct collaboration of the Union
of Small Farmers and Ranchers (UPA), that will provide key added value to the development of training and awareness actions.
TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT
Ceballo has also indicated that the project is part of “a long-term training and employment strategy that Asgeco Confederación considers essential in the current context of economic crisis.”, through improving the accessibility of agroecological products, the generation of new business ideas that develop the sector and the promotion of synergies between all the actors in the ecological market, including training for consumers”.
Within the framework of the project, different training actions will be carried out aimed at workers in the agroecological and distribution sectors under the format of courses., seminars and personalized advice sessions in the different autonomous communities during the first ten months of 2012.
The first relevant action of the project is the completion of the study 'Ecological market trends at the local level', which will serve to know the existing demand for ecological products in the areas where the project is developed through a participatory action research methodology through debate workshops, in order to reach local diagnoses and build strategic lines for the consolidation of future businesses in the field of distribution of organic products.
Also, An awareness campaign supported by a traveling exhibition in different communities will reinforce the dissemination of key messages to promote organic entrepreneurship and highlight the fundamental role that consumer and user cooperatives can play in this area..
'Sabor Cooperativo' will ensure the incorporation of the distribution of organic products as a new line of business within commercial establishments, especially in small and medium-sized cooperative companies.
Among other products, The project aims to introduce organic yogurt product lines, cheese, fruits and vegetables, meat, eggs and even cosmetics and prepared foods, among others.