Escuela de Líderes Cooperativistas Agrarios: Fortalecimiento de la Base Social y la Cooperativa

The organization is comprised of over 9,000 small-scale coffee and cacao farmers from 11 cooperatives, which have successfully positioned Peruvian coffee and cacao in the international market. The program, initially known as Escuela de Dirigentes, was a training program based on competencies aimed at strengthening the management capabilities of coffee cooperative leaders. However, the need for training was not exclusive to the organization's coffee cooperatives, leading to the expansion of the program to cover all organizations operating under the cooperative model. The resulting program, ELCA, is a national initiative developed for all organizations that function under the cooperative model. The role of the cooperative leader is fundamental in the development of their organization. They represent the cooperative, organize, plan, and control its technical and administrative progress, ensuring compliance with agreements and statutes. They also guide the organization towards success internally and in its relationships with the community and markets. The Central Café y Cacao del Perú considers the development of this initiative essential and acknowledges the support of SOS FAIM, DGCD of Belgium, and USAID/PERÚ's Alternative Development Program. The organization also expresses gratitude to its base cooperatives, as well as the contributions of cooperative leaders, administrators, technicians, and students who make up the first group of graduates. Their critical analysis and opinions based on their own experiences have allowed the organization to refine its concepts and make them more viable in reality.