Main Objective The active participation of farmers in local the process of economical development has improved sustainably resulting into improved livelihood in rural Paraná Specific Objectives 1) 100 cooperatives covering the dairy, commercialization and technical assistance branches are strengthened through qualitative and adequate service delivery in the field of management, administration, juridical and fiscal issues 2) 60.000 cooperative members gained a higher organizational level and capacity to participate in their cooperative structures 3) The cooperatives member to UNICAFES succeed in influencing factors that influence the livelihood of its members

The National Union of Family Farming and Solidary Economy Cooperatives (Unicafes), is a young organization, established in 2005. Its establishment answered the need for representation of the interests of family farming and solidarity economy cooperatives in Brazil. Unicafes promotes and integrates Family Farming and Solidary Economy cooperativism as a popular instrument for sustainable development, reinforcing its political representation. The regional and state level branches are also being established and have become operational. Unicafes Paraná (Unicafes-PR) was established in 2005. It has currently 123 cooperatives affiliated in 4 sectors (credit, commercialization, milk production and agricultural extension (ATER)). In this project, Unicafes-PR will work on its service delivery through - a needs assessment and establishment of a database for each of the sectors, but also already - some specific action per sector (training of staff, business plans, institutionalization of lessons learned in terms of governance, …). They will also work on their position as representative organization on state, national and international level through - improved communication, - exchanges on national level with other state level branches - negotiation on policies in favor of family farming - exchanges on international level in the IFAP network.