BUILDING RESILIENT LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS THROUGH COOPERATIVE ACTION: THE CASE OF CONVERGE – COOPERATIVA INTEGRAL DA COVA DA BEIRA

Abstract

Global food systems are increasingly strained by climate change, biodiversity loss and socio-economic instability, with rural regions disproportionately affected by depopulation and market vulnerability. In this context, cooperative and territorialised food initiatives are gaining relevance as pathways for resilience and sustainable biobusiness. This study aims to analyse how cooperative action can support the development of short food supply chains (SFSCs) and local food systems in rural contexts, using the case of Converge – Cooperativa Integral da Cova da Beira, a recently established integral cooperative in central Portugal.

Methodologically, the research adopts a qualitative case study design. The conceptual framework is grounded in cooperativism, social economy, integral cooperative models, food sovereignty, SFSCs, and sustainable logistics. The empirical component draws on document analysis (statutes, minutes, internal reports, project materials), participant observation conducted between 2022 and 2025, and internal operational data generated through the development of the Local Food System (SAL) initiative, including producer mapping, institutional demand estimates, and logistics planning.

Findings show that Converge is progressively transforming civic mobilisation into a structured organisational model capable of coordinating production, logistics, and participatory governance. Early outcomes indicate the feasibility of integrating small-scale producers into institutional markets through coordinated logistics, transparent pricing and municipal partnerships. However, the cooperative faces significant challenges related to scaling, cold-chain capacity, and route optimisation in a mountainous rural territory. The study contributes to debates on local food systems, grassroots innovation and sustainable territorial development by illustrating how integral cooperatives can function as laboratories for reterritorialising food production and strengthening regional resilience.