Abstract

CHAVEZ-BECKER, Carlos  and  NATAL, Alejandro. Regional Development and Grassroots Action: The case of an indigenous organization of coffee producers in Oaxaca. Econ. soc. territ [online]. 2012, vol.12, n.40, pp.597-618. ISSN 2448-6183.

This document answers the question on which factors can make a grassroots organization, composed by poor, ill-educated peasants, marginalized from markets and governments, successful not only in integrating themselves to global markets, but also capable of fostering significant development processes at regional level. We argue that success can only be achieved when three intermingled factors are present: 1) the relations the organization builds with the exterior, its learning from brokerage, and the construction of its own capabilities; 2) internal government mechanisms that, within the organization, foster participation in decision making, representation, plurality, and appropriation among others; and 3) a broad interest in the territory and its needs, what gives the organization the necessary legitimacy to promote collective action for social change and development

Keywords : grassroots action; bottom-up development; cooperatives in rural Mexico; Fair Trade producer's organizations.

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