Members of the Presidente Tancredo Neves Rural Producers’ Cooperative (COOPATAN) met on August 2 at the institution’s head office to celebrate its 12-year anniversary and participate in the inauguration of the Fruit Pre-Processing Unit (UPBF). The project, which received funding from the National Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES) for its construction, will maximize the potential for the conservation and transport of crops such as banana and pineapple.

During the ceremony, Juscelino Macedo, Leader of the Manioc Root Cooperative Strategic Alliance, elaborated the timeline of COOPATAN and the municipality of Presidente Tancredo Neves in Bahia. “Remembering our history, we concluded that before poverty and illiteracy predominated,” said Macedo. “Today, we see signs of development, with the generation of jobs and income for the population,” he said.

Cooperative partners received plaques of gratitude and samples of manioc root flour produced by the cooperative members. These members included George Teixeira, Analyst at the BNDES Unified Economic Department, Domingo Haroldo Reinhardt, General Head of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Company (EMBRAPA) Manioc Root and Fruit Production, André Argolo, Secretary of Agriculture, and Eduardo Queiroz, Vice President of Sustainability at the Odebrecht Foundation. Also representing BNDES were Simone Moraes and Mateus Ramos, Engineer and Attorney of the Unified Economy Department, respectively.

Ednalva Santana, a six-year member and current President of COOPATAN, and George Teixeira untied the symbolic bow and opened up the unit to guests for visits. “I’m proud to be part of this partnership and be present at such an important event,” said Teixeira. “I desire much success to COOPATAN and I am thrilled to see so many smiling faces here,” he said.

In 2009, BNDES and the Odebrecht Foundation established a Technical and Financial Cooperation Agreement, with a six-year term, which will promote investments in social, production, environmental and training actions for communities from the Bahia Southern Lowlands region. One of the fruits of this agreement is UPBF, which receives investments of R$ 1,440,864.15. Other projects were also possible, such as the construction of the head office of the Build Better Professional Training Center, in Valença, and the delivery of machines, agricultural accessories and vehicles to the Bahia Southern Lowlands Heart of Palm Producers’ Cooperative – COOPALM.