In recent days, the Brazilian Cooperatives Organization (Sistema OCB) has hosted an international delegation involved in the development of the Brazil–China Green Food Value Chain platform. The meeting aims to deepen understanding of the role of cooperatives in promoting more traceable, resilient production chains aligned with global environmental requirements.

The platform is co-led by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), with funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). Although Brazil and China maintain intensive trade relations, there remains fragmentation in information, protocols and certifications related to socio-environmental requirements in soybean and beef production. The platform is intended to function as a knowledge hub, gathering and interpreting public policies, technical notes and regulatory requirements.

During the meeting, researchers highlighted their interest in understanding how cooperatives structure relationships with rural producers and how they manage to disseminate technology, technical assistance, environmental protocols and continuous improvement programmes throughout their networks. Cooperativism was identified as a strategic link connecting market demands to productive practices in the field.

(Source: Mundocoop, on 6 March)