Can cooperatives and other producer organizations (POs) combine good performance with the inclusion of poor producers?

A research study on nine POs in different regions, carried out by the Department of Economics of Roma Tre University and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), suggests that this is possible. The research shows that strategies promoting social opportunities can expand people’s agency and capabilities, thus encouraging the development of an informed, motivated, skilled and active membership. This can in turn contribute to POs’ financial viability and effectiveness in service provision, and thus play an important role in ensuring POs are able to both be inclusive and perform well. In particular, POs that were already inclusive and performing well before the pandemic managed to be resilient to the COVID-19 shock by adopting strategies based on sustainable agricultural practices, digitalization, investment diversification and intercooperation. They have also been fundamental agents for the social protection of their members and communities.