PROG 2017-2021_Outcome_Brazil

The Trias programme in Brazil strives to improve the livelihood of family farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs from the perspective of socio-economic and environmental sustainability, solidarity and equality, through support to three main intervention areas (the states of Goiás – GO, Minas Gerais – MG and Rondônia – RO). Trias Brazil will use a direct approach with UNICAFES MG and RO in order to multiply best practices on services, gender initiatives, climate change awareness, value chain initiatives (e.g. coffee, fruits and seeds from the cerrado biome , sugar cane liquor, dairy and soy), youth synergy exchanges, capacity building/training and risk mitigation based on previous lessons learned (building on experience of solidarity cooperativism strengthening accumulated over the last 10 years with experienced cooperative partners in the South). In the case of Goiás, Trias intends to continue the implementation of the RTRS soy-certification project (based on economically, environmentally and socially responsible procedures with strategic alliances with the Solidaridad Foundation, the Colruyt Group and the IDH Institute) and microfinance expansion of the CRESOL system to new weakly-organised regions. In order to advance more specifically in lobbying & advocacy, Trias plans to focus on efforts at national level, in partnership with UNICAFES National, as well as other organisations in Latin America (with Trias CAM and Andes), by sharing strategies on gender, youth (through the development of a curriculum on youth leadership training) and lobby & advocacy. Over the next 5 years, Trias will continue to ensure synergy (with main focus on youth) with its partners and local Belgian NGOs through the continued use of events and exchange programmes. To explore the rural and urban linkages, the main idea is to create a specific department at microfinance member-based-organisation CRESOL BASER to improve services for small-scale entrepreneurs (based on 20 years of experience in offering microfinance services to family farmers, and the lessons learned from SOLCREDI and SEBRAE) in the same intervention zones as the family farmer members. Lastly, still with CRESOL BASER, Trias aims to continue to support microfinance expansion as a key pillar of solidarity cooperativism and with innovative initiatives on RTRS, green credits (e.g. credit for renewable energy) and digitalisation (e.g. app for technological inclusion of member-based organisations of family farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs).