Export-oriented organic coffee cooperatives’ visions and strategies on sustainability

Abstract

In this article, we discuss the importance of conducting sustainability assessments of the strategies implemented by cooperatives, guided by the local perspective of sustainability. From a participatory approach, we described the strategies of three export-oriented organic coffee cooperatives located in five municipalities in Chiapas, Mexico. A definition of agricultural sustainability was co-constructed from the perspective of local actors and a sustainability assessment of 139 producers was carried out. Using the MESMIS framework, we established a set of indicators and constructed indices for the dimensions of productivity, economic viability, adaptive management, and family involvement. Our results showed that conducting sustainability assessments based on the concept co-constructed by local actors offers various advantages, such as territorial relevance, recognition of local knowledge and easier indicator development. Additionally, the sustainability assessment results showed significant variations in performance across dimensions among producers in each organization, which is linked to the cooperatives’ priorities in achieving sustainability. These findings contribute to the discussion on the importance of clarifying guiding concepts from a local perspective in relation to the normative concept of sustainable development.