e-COO Project: a proposal for Social Technology and Platform Cooperativism for family farming in Rio Grande/RS

uma proposta de Tecnologia Social e Cooperativismo de Plataforma para a agricultura familiar de Rio Grande/RS

Abstract

This article discusses the partial results of the e-COO Project: Platform Cooperativism for Strengthening Family Farming, focusing on consolidating the Armazém e-COO physical space and developing its digital platform. Anchored in the principles of social technology, solidarity economy, and platform cooperativism, the project aims to build an infrastructure for marketing and organizing family farmers in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul. Using participatory methodologies such as consultations, workshops, and questionnaires with producers and consumers, structural challenges were identified, such as the presence of intermediaries, uncertainty about the future of rural activities, and difficulties with digital literacy. Despite advances in self-management and technological appropriation, the project still faces challenges such as climate change, social inequalities, and the consolidation of participatory governance. Although the challenges are significant, the partial results indicate that the e-COO Project points to pathways for strengthening family farming through the collective construction of technological and social solutions rooted in the territory.