The challenge is to develop a region as a living organism, integrating its parts so it is able to regenerate. To this end, the objective of our project is to create a MATRIARCHAL social fabric, within which the people united in the region’s complex diversity generate successful relationships of cooperation. This objective is materialised in the creation of a coop. market that supports other emerging initiatives to generate changes through consumption and the organisation’s ecosystem structure.

La Vera region, Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain, Europe GAIA, the Milky Way solar system, the Universe.

La Vera is a grouping of diverse municipalities a complex social ecosystem that has been developing over the last decades with an influx of neo-rurals from cities and immigrants, and well-known personalities who live in a rural social ecosystem: fruit/vegetable farmers and livestock farmers and other social strata, ranging from public employees, salaried employees, self-employed professionals or small business owners, etc. Our proposal is to create a living system beyond the superimposing of these social ecosystems.
We are faced with a high “death rate” for initiatives because of the way regulations are interpreted, excessive bureaucracy, civil servants who are absolutely non-proactive, passive social dynamics, group conflicts or scarce financial resources.

It is intended for all the living social ecosystems in the region: gender, migration, local people, etc, Consumer choice as the basis for democratic organisation and the promotion of new projects guarantees us major and diverse participation as well as the support and ties among the existing diverse “tribes” by highlighting the importance of productivity and caring for the land where community members have settled.
In 2015, 5.8% of the population were immigrants: 46.9% Moroccan,33.7% European Union. In terms of profession, 58% are dedicated to services, 18% to industry, 17% to agriculture and 12% to construction. In 2016 there were a total of 744 companies, of which 189 were dedicated to agriculture, 376 to services, 73 to the industrial sector and 106 to construction.

There is already appropriately fertile ground for this to work. Associative activity is a widespread practice, so the cooperative supermarket will bring together resources and experiences that are already present. We will strengthen the creation of consumer groups distributed in the region, participation of ecological farmers in markets, the creation of a producers market, and once there are 150 cooperative members, we will aim to bring together members and producers of the greatest possible diversity. We will select appropriate place to begin the experience of the supermarket, which will be promoted by coop members who will also do the work themselves. The production-consumption core idea will spearhead the launching of other core ideas, which will grow organically out of this one.

A
Connecting with 40 liaisons
We have a complete diagnosis of all infrastructure
A catalogue of 50 successful experiences that can be replicated
The liaisons assimilate the language of the project
B
2 consumer groups have formed, ecological farmers have organised to set up a stand in the traditional weekly market in 3 locations and the foundation for creating a monthly regional market exclusively for ecological food products.
All the people involved actions are motivated by values of the MATERCRACY.
Other 10 core ideas have arisen.
C
The cooperative supermarket is constituted
The principles of MATERCRACY have been internalised
The other core ideas have developed under the guidance and influence of the production-consumption core idea and have become manifest in 5 projects

To begin a strong and stable network, we propose creating, from a local consumer group, an inclusive cooperative supermarket, which would primarily promote local, ecological consumption, make the region a model and an example of biological farming.
So we have found that the common place where all these ecosystems meet is “The Market”. There we will work together on participative democracy and food sovereignty through consumption, as the foundation for creating a matriarchal care and nutrition network. Culturally, the market in any territory is a very active meeting point and the place to participate in local society, so successful experiences can be implemented in practically any other diverse rural environment.

We believe that patriarchal consumption (where inequality is promoted and inequality is a source of wealth) has brought us to the critical place that current society finds itself in. It is the matriarchy, with its gaze on nature, on group connections that creates those close ties that embrace us, which holds the key to change. There are, within the territory, underutilized resources that can serve as catalysts causing reactions that can lead to encounters, development, participation, inclusion, recognition and empowerment.
The result, as in any living process, is unpredictable: we will have laid the foundation so that others can assume their power, participate actively at all levels while caring, holistically, for themselves, each other and their non-human environment.

Honoraria of the organizing team: 42.250€
Expert technical assistance: 9.750€
Travel expenses: 6.500€
Travel allowances: 3.250€
Consumables: 3.250€
Study of the territory
MARKET PROJECT: Defining consumer group,training cooperative members and locating suppliers, supporting monthly producers market, generating new spaces, store, establishment of cooperative supermarket physical space
Generating other emergent spaces in other areas, new spaces, Accompanying and gathering ideas.

All comments and suggestions will support us. We’d like to receive information about similar projects that can serve as a model and offer us the opportunity to share experiences.