A Conversation with… Matheus Kfouri Marino

Matheus Kfouri Marino is Chair of Coopercitrus (Brazil)

Tell us about your organisation?
We are a grower cooperative with 40,000 members. Ninety percent of our members are small and medium-sized growers. We provide everything a farmer needs to have a good harvest — fertilisers, crop protection, seeds, tractors, machinery, oil, and services. We also deliver technical support and digital agriculture services such as drones and satellite imagery. With our team, we help farmers implement planting projects and use new technology effectively. We give them all the tools needed to achieve strong production.

How do you do things differently as a cooperative?

By supporting our members in ways that private companies do not. Our mission is to build collective power. We have the scale to negotiate with large seed, fertiliser, and machinery companies. Profitability is important, but not as an end in itself; the reason we exist is to help small and medium growers compete with large producers. Without cooperatives, many of them simply could not survive in our region.

What impact do you see agricultural cooperatives having on communities?

The impact is direct. We reach 40,000 growers and their families, and we support every part of their farming cycle. We provide inputs, buy their production, and deliver technical services. We help farmers move from traditional to digital agriculture, introducing drones, satellite imagery, and precision machinery. Our 500 specialists visit farms every day, bringing technology directly to the field.

I like to say that Coopercitrus is a university on the farm. Through the Coopercitrus Foundation, we provide free courses to our members and communities. Farmers and their children can study big data, agribusiness, agricultural techniques, tractor operation, and drone piloting. Each year, around 400 people take courses, and about 100 graduate with a degree or technical qualification.

Why are education and technology so important for sustainability and resilience?

Education is critical, especially for young people, as with training in digital agriculture, they can join family businesses and bring in new skills. It strengthens succession, keeps young people in rural areas, and ensures farms remain competitive.

Technology is the key to sustainability. With digital irrigation systems, no-till techniques, and biological products, we help growers increase productivity while protecting the environment. For example, we use sensors and drones to optimise water use, restore springs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We also invest in clean energy through solar power, and we run reforestation programs. Technology allows farmers to produce more with fewer resources, protecting soil, water, and biodiversity. 

Why did you join the CM50?

In Brazil, we are represented by our national cooperative organisation, OCB, which works to strengthen our voice with the government. We need one voice internationally, too.  Cooperatives are different in every country, but sharing experiences is vital. At CM50, we show the world that co-ops can create and share value, not just for members but for entire communities. In Brazil, where cooperatives are strong, you can clearly see the difference between towns with co-ops and those without. Co-ops bring investment, jobs, and dignity.

How do cooperatives build a better world? 

By creating and sharing value. We give small and medium farmers the same opportunities as big players. We bring technology, education, and sustainability to communities. We ensure that economic results are shared with members and families, not extracted by shareholders. I believe cooperatives are the best way to combine economic strength with social purpose: we can compete in the market, deliver innovation, and still prioritise people.