FAO highlights the cooperative model as a key driver in the fight against hunger and poverty

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) participated in the launch of the Regional Agenda for the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, an event held in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

FAO reaffirmed its commitment to promoting the cooperative model as a key tool for building a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable future. With more than three million cooperatives worldwide and 28,000 in Latin America and the Caribbean, the benefits of this model are essential for the transformation of agrifood systems.

In this context, the Organization commended the efforts and commitment demonstrated in establishing this space for reflection on the fundamental role of cooperatives and their associative, inclusive, and participatory model in achieving better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

The International Year of Cooperatives 2025, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, reaffirms the relevance of these organizations in the global economy and sustainable development. FAO underscored the crucial role of cooperatives, particularly in the agrifood sector, in the fight against hunger and malnutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean.

While the region has managed to continuously reduce hunger in recent years—with a decrease of 4.3 million people since 2021—28.2% of the population still faces moderate or severe food insecurity. This situation demands urgent and coordinated action, where cooperatives play a strategic role.

In the agrifood sector, cooperatives promote decent work and reduce inequalities in value chains, strengthen territorial governance, and foster public-private partnerships. Through technical assistance, training, and support in public policy design, FAO facilitates collaborations to further strengthen the cooperative model.

The event brought together regional authorities, including the Vice President of Uruguay, Beatriz Argimón; Chile's Ambassador to the UN, Paula Narváez Ojeda; FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative, Mario Lubetkin; Uruguay's Minister of Labor and Social Security, Martío Arizti; the Mayor of the Department of Maldonado, Enrique Antía Behrens; the President of the National Institute of Cooperatives (INACOOP), Martín Fernández Aizcorbe; the President of Cooperatives of the Americas, José Alves de Souza Neto; the President of the International Cooperative Alliance, Ariel Guarco; the UN Resident Coordinator in Uruguay, Pablo Ruiz Hiebra; the UN Women Regional Director, María Noel Vaeza; and the ILO Regional Director, Ana Virginia Moreira Gomez.

The Regional Committee of Allied Partners meeting for IYC2025 was also held, and the common agenda of activities for the coming months was reviewed.

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