Network of facilitators for developing associative structures – COOP NET

Cluj-Napoca

We aim to support the foundation of 25 agricultural cooperatives and to train 80 people into how to found a cooperative and how to manage one. Coop Net is a network that supports association and collaboration between farmers in Romania. It does this by training people who are interested in creating associative structures within their Local Action Group (GAL) where they apply for grants.

Through our initiative we will train 80 people to create sustainable structures in the benefit of local farmers and to help small producer by granting them access to the market. Within the first year of our project we have already reached 57 members in Coop Net. The network members can be GAL employees, applicants to various agricultural grants but also people who already benefit from grants.

The project also targets people who already manage cooperatives which were created through GAL funding. Based on a network approach, the project supports small farmers by involving consultants in a set of activities where they learn details on how to implement projects regarding associative structures (trainings, consultancy services, monitoring visits of associations and cooperatives, bureaucracy, information etc).

We grant 60 vouchers and support the network members in founding 25 cooperatives. The purpose of Coop Net is to contribute in responsible and sustainable spending of the grants available through the LEADER and PNDR (Measure 4 and Measure 16). Thus, we train specialists whom will have the expertise to create and manage associations and cooperative in a financially sustainable way and in the benefit of the community.

Partners:

Center for Economic Education and Development in Romania Foundation (CEED), Romanian Center for European Policies (CRPE), Center for Community Mediation and Security (CMSC), Foundation for the Development of Civil Society (FDSC)