Speaker
Description
Since the advent of industrialization, food production and distribution systems have prioritized profit over social and environmental considerations. In response, alternative business models that emphasize community-oriented, environmentally sustainable, and socially conscious approaches to food systems have received increasing academic and practical attention. Even though cooperatives are not a new concept, they have gained considerable importance as a viable model within this framework. Notably, in the food production and distribution sectors, cooperatives are increasingly recognized as a robust alternative to conventional corporate structures. Moreover, cooperatives offer a means to integrate disadvantaged groups into the system.
As one of the disadvantaged groups, women play an essential role in cooperatives aimed at promoting gender equality and women's empowerment. Women’s cooperatives provide a platform where women can gain control over their labor, develop skills, and access education. These cooperatives thus serve as an essential mechanism for fostering women's economic empowerment. Beyond economic independence, feminist movements advocate for women's active participation in social life and involvement in decision-making processes. In this context, women’s cooperatives contribute significantly to enhancing women’s societal engagement, building their self-confidence, and facilitating the sharing of knowledge and resources. Building on these motivations, the "Empowering Women Through Cooperatives Project" (2021-2024), led by Türkiye's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry with EU co-financing, established the "Women’s Cooperative Network." This project marks a significant milestone for women’s cooperatives in Türkiye. In this regard, the analysis of the social and economic contributions of women's food production cooperatives in Türkiye has become a key issue.
The study aims to explore the relationships that women cooperative members establish with their cooperatives, and the significance these organizations hold in their lives. It ultimately addresses the research question: “What are the perceptions and experiences of women members of food production cooperatives regarding their cooperatives?”. For this question, one of the country’s leading agricultural cities, Antalya is selected as the location for this study. In Antalya, 22 women’s cooperatives are part of the network, with 15 focused on food production. Among these, four production cooperatives are located in Kepez, a socioeconomically disadvantaged district of the city. While there is a substantial body of literature on women’s food production cooperatives, each cooperative and its members have unique experiences and connections with their organizations. This diversity highlights the importance of studying individual cooperatives to better understand their specific contributions and challenges. The Antalya Köy Pazarı Women’s Cooperative, chosen as a case study in this research, provides valuable insights into these distinct dynamics. As the methodology, participant observation and semi-structured interviews were conducted with cooperative members, and the data obtained were subjected to content analysis. The experiences of women's food production cooperatives were analyzed under three themes: Motivation (1), Impact on Daily Life (2), and Cooperative Operation (3).
The findings of the study reveal that the primary motivation behind the participation of women in food producer cooperatives is economic independence. Additionally, the cooperatives are found to provide significant social benefits alongside economic empowerment. The results demonstrate that food producer women’s cooperatives contribute positively to women’s economic, social, and individual well-being. Furthermore, for cooperative members, the cooperative and their colleagues hold a value that extends beyond mere financial income. Considering the role of women within their families and society, women’s cooperatives emerge as critical social initiatives that foster women’s participation in the economic sphere and their empowerment within both familial and societal contexts.
| Keywords | Food Production Cooperatives; Gender Equality; Economic Empowerment |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
