Cooperativism as an instrument for the autonomy of rural communities in the Amazon: the experience of extractive farmers in the municipality of Lábrea, AM

This article deals with the organization of extractive communities in the municipality of Lábrea, in Amazonas, Brazil, and how the cooperative was essential for overcoming the socioeconomic challenges faced by extractivists in the Amazon. The collection of the information was made through visits and interviews with extractivists, leaders of the communities and organizations that operate in the region. As a result, we conclude that the creation of the Cooperativa Agroextractivista Sardinha (COOPMAS), with the mediation of institutions, made possible the organization of extractive and agricultural production, overcoming the travester and fair trade for extractivist and agricultural products, as well as facilitating access to public policies such as credit, technical assistance and markets, contributing to the socio-economic and political emancipation of extractivists.Received: 11 June 2019Accepted: 01 October 2019Published online: 19 December 2019