Cooperativa Terra Chã – rural sustainable development initiative

The scope of the project has increased to the point where it currently integrates catering, accommodation, rural tourism, training, production of various products, nature preservation and rehabilitation of the physical structures and spaces of the village. In 2015 this small village with about 120 inhabitants received around 7600 visitors, which proves the innovative character of this practice and its quality.

The focus on the more tourist slope is balanced by the investment in the villagers. The cooperative uses the village’s human resources, works hand in hand with local producers, as in the case of the restaurant where local agricultural production is used to make meals, and it seeks to preserve the village’s history and the biodiversity that surrounds it. In addition, by generating revenue – 400 000 euros of gross revenue in the last year – it is boosting the local economy, which is also beneficial to the inhabitants. In short, the practice belongs to the population.

This practice is well known in Brazil – it has a partnership with the Fundação Casa Grande at the level of community-based tourism – it has partnerships in Milan at the level of the solidarity economy, maintains links with Burgundy following the exchange programs, and a partnership with Catalonia at the level of cooperatives linked to ethical/solidarity finance and projects of solidarity inclusion of people with disabilities in agriculture.