Cooperativism, Regional and Organic Products: The Design Perspective for the Valorization of the Brazilian Food Sector

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to show how some design actions can be used for the valorization regional products from organic production. Therefore, three activities made by family farming cooperatives located into different Brazilian states (Copacaju-CE, Cooperjap-MG, Coopercuc-BA) were analysed. Aiming verify how can the design support the strengthening of identity, community autonomy and products valorization, contributing to their characteristics and values to be perceived by consumers. The research that guides this study has a qualitative exploratory approach. Through bibliographic review of design domain authors Krucken (2009) and Bistagnino (2009) the cooperatives were analysed, evaluating how product characteristics and their correlation with an identity in the territory, the relations of production and commerce, the valorization of the place and the relation of the man and the environment.