Bogota, July 13 2023. Bogota, July 2023. The CCB has worked for more than a decade to strengthen associations, focusing on the development of productive linkages, the training of leaders and the generation of competencies to increase their productivity, thus achieving access to financial resources and the achievement of their objectives in terms of growth and sustainability.

Associativity is a tool for collective action and vertical and horizontal integration of productive and commercial activities, through which producers can more easily access input markets, final markets, financing, technology or information, among other resources. With this in mind, the CCB convened representatives of more than one thousand non-profit organizations and associations to the first national meeting on associativity, which seeks to generate new actions to strengthen this segment of the economy in order to achieve a greater impact on the social base.

74% of the cooperatives are domiciled in 20 capital cities, while 36% are distributed in 477 municipalities. This behavior encourages the CCB to deepen its work in the region in order to consolidate the organizations in the municipalities of Cundinamarca.

The Bogota Chamber of Commerce has led an important work in favor of the Associations, among which the following are highlighted:

• More than 60 producer organizations in the agricultural sector (49 in the agroindustrial sector and 21 in the livestock sector) have been supported through the Integral Model of Business Services, in order to strengthen them at the socio-business level through workshops, business rounds, support in the certification of good business practices, among others.

• The "Development of suppliers for the dairy sector in the region" project was carried out, which impacted 117 milk producers in the provinces of Guavio and Almeidas, with positive results in terms of increased productivity (17%) and lower production costs (12%).

• A project was formulated to improve the productivity and competitiveness of the dairy sector in the province of Almeidas - Cundinamarca, improving the income and quality of life of 165 families of small and medium-sized fresh milk producers.

• Technical and business support, training, consulting and specialized services were provided to strengthen associations, resulting in technical support through more than 1,700 technological extension visits to each beneficiary farm; improving the quality of milk of more than 165 producers and increasing productivity by more than 20% in 165 cattle farms, among others.

"In the first half of this year we have accompanied 78 associations in Bogota and the region, deepening the leadership and management of ESALs. All this work contributes significantly to the solution of the socioeconomic challenges we have in our country; allowing to generate equal opportunities for its members; facilitating the social, economic and financial inclusion of those who make them up; promoting productive entrepreneurship and thus to economic recovery," said Juan David Castaño, vice president of business strengthening of the CCB.

In parallel, 19 tables will be available for business counseling and peer-to-peer meetings guided by the CCB will be held.

To attend the First National Meeting of Associativity you can access the following link and register: https://forms.office.com/r/tkVmkezxpu