Our actions are divided into four work axis:

Qualification:
Qualify directors and staff by promoting self-management and sustainability for Family Agriculture cooperatives. “Cooperative School” programs addresses the following target audiences:
Directors of New Cooperatives – offered to administration members of local cooperatives, awakening them to cooperativism of mutual solidarity, with the intent of contributing to the implementation and management of new individual cooperatives.
Directors of Board of Control – qualification the inspection and monitoring activities and the contribution to the management of the cooparatives, in achieving compliance with the legislation that a cooperative institution is accounted for.
Executives Directors and Dedicated Directors – preparation of qualified daily management of the institutions, with knowledge on coop coordination and management.
New Directors – geared to offering learning opportunities about mutual solidarity cooperativism, from the perspective of democratic and participant management.
Employees and Staff – acquisition of technical knowledge for the practice of daily activities in connection to the mission of the CRESOL system, as well as, the principles and values of Mutual Solidarity Cooperativism.
Families Beneficiaries of the Mutual Solidarity Rural Housing Program – carries out actions promoting improved housing conditions for family farmers, affiliated to the Cresol System’s Credit Coops, by way of public policies.

Education:
Collectively create opportunities for, and build, knowledge in connection to Mutual Solidarity Cooperativism and Family Agriculture, that value the daily practices of family farmers, enabling them to achieve a higher level of participation in their organizations, debating and defining future directions for their cooperatives. Thus becoming protagonists in building social solidarity networks, reinforcing cooperation, democracy and sustainable development taking into account the different dimensions of life: human, social, cultural and environmental.

Professional Qualification in Management with Emphasis on Cooperativism:
Create opportunities for members, directors, staff, partners, and farmers, to provide education on Cooperativism and Professional Qualification, added to the project of social development, addressing a broad range of life needs and requirements. The program seeks to create and recreate organizing and articulation actions within the organizations and communities, enhancing qualification of man and women, among other participants, committed to the Family Agriculture proposition. The course is held in partnership with ET-UFPR - Escola Técnica da Universidade Federal do Paraná (Technical College of the Federal University of Paraná), Central CRESOL Baser and UNICAFES - União Nacional de Cooperativas da Agricultura Familiar e de Economia Solidária/PR (National Union of Family Agriculture and Mutual Solidarity Economy/PR). The course totals 800 hours, alternating periods of attendance classes with community time, when students face the challenge of applying the knowledge acquired in practical situations.

Training within the program of Agents of Development and Credit. The program of Agents of Development and Credit (Agentes Comunitários de Desenvolvimento e Crédito – ACDC) is an activity of the Strategic Loan Portfolio of the CRESOL Baser System, aiming to strengthen the member farmers together with their organizations, Cooperatives and “Production and Family Life Units” (UPVFs - Unidades de Produção e Vida Familiar). This training concerns the building of the fundaments of people pro-active in organizing their life projects and, consequently, their cooperatives and other organizations in Family Agriculture.

Post Graduation in Management of Cooperativism of Mutual Solidarity The specialization course in Management of Cooperativism of Mutual Solidarity, held in partnership with the State University of Western Paraná (UNIOESTE - Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná), totaling 406 hours, enables focusing the discussions around issues connected to the reality of cooperative organizations, taking into account economical and administrative aspects from a mutual solidarity cooperativism point of view.

Research

Systematize knowledge produced in courses, workshops and seminars, developed by INFOCOS, as well as outcomes of collective experiences generated by the cooperatives of mutual solidarity, through self-management and debates that are constantly present in the diversified reality of Family Agriculture.

Advisory and partnerships

Reinforce the organizational and formative processes of INFOCOS, by seeking advisory and cooperation with partner organizations, targeting improvements for the activities undertaken. We consider solidarity in knowledge a strategic to strengthening cooperativism of mutual solidarity and Family Agriculture. In this sense, INFOCOS aims implementing different partnerships with organizations, such as: National Union of Family Agriculture and Mutual Solidarity Economy/PR (UNICAFES - União Nacional de Cooperativas da Agricultura Familiar e de Economia Solidária/PR), (Association of Studies, Orientation an Agricultural Assistance) ASSESOAR- Associação de Estudos, Orientação e Assistência Rural, State University of Western Paraná (UNIOESTE - Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná), Technical College of the Federal University of Paraná (ET-UFPR - Escola Técnica da Universidade Federal do Paraná) and the Regional Forum of Family Agriculture Entities (Fórum Regional da Entidades da Agricultura Familiar), EMATER, Ancosol, among others.