Agentes comunitários e cooperativismo solidário: o caso da Cresol de Francisco Beltrão

Abstract

This paper analyzes the perceptions of family farmers included in the Program of Community Agents about solidarity and self-management practices in Solidary Cooperativism of Cresol Francisco Beltrão. The Cresol is a rural credit cooperative, with solidarity perspective, organized and managed by family farmers since 1995, initially established in Southwestern of Paraná, the cooperative has spread in several other municipalities. The Cresol Francisco Beltrao was one of the first created and today stands out against the others cooperatives for its economic indicators. Cresol created a training program for members named Program of Community Agents 15 years ago. After this period of implementation, in 2015, it is observed that community workers have the role of closer relations between the direction of the cooperative and the other members, however, the agents point out that the principle of solidarity is fragile, because by observing the relationship of the others associates with the cooperative, they realize that the others consider it only as a financial institution. The concepts of self-management that is manifested in the way associates address management and administrative issues and how they challenge themselves to create mechanisms that expand the spaces of collective consultation for cooperative decision-making. In this sense, it was observed that there are some practices that encourage the democratization of information and reports on the management and the work of community agent in stimulating the participation of others associates in community meetings. However the flow of information is asymmetric, it pass from the cooperative for the community. Community agents of Cresol Francisco Beltrão claim to be necessary that the direction of the cooperative organize events and meetings involving more members for expand and strengthen the principles of solidarity and self-management in solidary cooperativism, as well as cooperation.